Tales of the Wild
by Asotte
Summary: Lloyd finds himself in a strange new world. He discovers that he had taken the place of the local hero. But he didn't do anything, all he did was wake up in a tub. And now, all hope is suddenly put on him. Can he find the true hero, save the princess and this strange new world called Hyrule?
1. Chapter 1

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

 **Tales of the Wild**

"...ake up."

A faint female voice spoke, drawing him out of a deep slumber. But he didn't react, pretending to still be in his nice, deep sleep.

"Wake up."

It was a bit louder this time. Lloyd was not in the mood to open his eyes. He found that he deserved this sleep, after all the work he had done. Even though he didn't feel that tired anymore.

"Hey, wake up!"

This time it was very loud. It made the teen jolt up. He found himself in a very strange situation. He was in a sort of basin, with a little water, and almost completely naked. His battle scars were clear to see, but they didn't look as bad as they had before. Odd.

The room he was in, he did not recognize. It had a lot of blue and a was pretty dark. Next to the 'bath' Lloyd was in, the room was pretty empty. The only other thing was a weird shaped stand next to a closed door.

His eyes went searching for the one who was talking to him. But there was no one. With a deep frown, the teen got out of the shallow tub and looked around once again, being just as fruitless.

"Hello? What's going on, where am I?"

"You are not the hero. What have you done with him?"

The female voice was still a bit faint, but sounded agitated. It came from nowhere, but everywhere at once. Was she talking to him remotely, like the Desians used to do?

"Look, I don't know what you are on about. I just got woken up here. I don't know what's going on. Just show yourself we can talk like civilized people."

Lloyd could clearly hear the woman sigh. She somewhat reminded him of Sheena, but it wasn't the right kind of voice.

"Just take the slate from the pedestal. Lets find out what happened."

The strange shaped stand, lit up, glowing bright blue. Lloyd knew asking questions wouldn't amount to anything, so he walked over to it. On the so called pedestal was a peculiar rectangle object. Or rather it was in it.

When the teen walked close enough, the object rose up so it was standing straight up. It seemed to have waited eagerly for some one to pick it up.

With a bit of hesitation, Lloyd took it in both of his hands. He didn't know what it was or how breakable it was, so he was careful.

Good thing he did. Out of nowhere, a light came out of the thing and it made a sort of 'ping' sound. It startled Lloyd. If he'd been holding it by just one hand, he would have dropped it.

The little screen that lit up, reminded him of the tech the Desians had. But those were big, not as portable as this little thing. It showed a symbol that looked like an eye with a tear falling from it. The pedestal then twisted and turned, after which the door slid open horizontally upward.

In the next room, about as big as the last, two rusty looking chest were set up to be seen immediately. There were also some random crates and barrels.

A bit curious, Lloyd went to open one of the chests. It turned out to be a simple set of pants. Still better then nothing. The other chest held a shirt with three-quarter sleeves.

Where were his regular clothes? Who brought him here and why? Who was talking to him and what was going on? There were so many questions, but it looked like he wasn't going to get any answers yet.

At the end of the room, another pedestal stood, this one was bright orange. When Lloyd neared it, the female voice sounded again, this time a bit more monotone.

"Hold the Sheikah Slate up to the pedestal. It will show you the way."

Assuming she meant the thing he just got, which he could hang on his side by a handy, special holder, Lloyd held up the strange apparatus to the pedestal.

It turned blue. The door that had been blocking his way, also lit up blue in the middle, in the shape of the same crying eye symbol. The door went up in a really fancy way. Sunlight came poring in.

Lloyd stepped in the opening, raising his left hand to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight. It was something to get used to after all the darkness. The faint blue exsphere on the back of his hand caught some of it. But it still seemed dull for some reason.

Lowering his hand, the teen took a closer look. There wasn't much to see. It was still his (or rather his moms) exsphere, with the golden rim of the keycrest around it. But for some reason, he didn't feel the same power resonate from it.

Strange. That was an understated epitome of what was going on. Hopefully he will get answers fast, he really needed that.

"Here I wanted to say something inspiring, but you are the wrong guy." The female voice said, while Lloyd was staring into the light.

"Well, you don't have to be rude. I didn't ask for this... Would you please just show yourself?"

He turned around, searching again, in hopes to find some one. But there was still no sign of life, next to his own.

"I cannot do that." Her voice suddenly more soft and a bit sad. Did he say something wrong? He didn't say that much.

"Now, just go."

It was clear that this body less voice, didn't want to speak anymore. Lloyd knew when not to push things (well, mostly), so he didn't. Instead, he just did what she said. He entered the hallway that led outside. There was a rock like obstacle in the way, but nothing to challenging for the teen.

Once outside, he couldn't help but walk to the nearby drop and look over the view. And what a view indeed. All the lush green, the high mountains. There was even a volcano! But, this clearly wasn't his home. He had been on both sides of the world that was once one. Surely this wasn't what it was.

For all certainty, Lloyd looked up to the sky. There was only the sun. No Derras-Kharlan to be seen. So then where the heck was he? When he looked around again, he also noticed that there were no people.

Like none. All he heard were birds singing, and here and there was movement of various animals. No monsters spotted, yet. But where in Martels name were the people?

This was starting to worry him. That was not all. His eyes rested on the castle that was very clear in the distance. And there was a very dark aura about it. It was very unsettling. Just what was going on here, and where was here?

Lloyd needed answers, he needed to talk to some one, anyone. As if his prayers were heard, he spotted smoke, not to far away. Smoke meant fire. Fire meant people, mostly. With high hopes, the teen hurried of the slope, toward the smoke.

There was a bit of a path. It wasn't really laid out, as it was walked out by people. So there at least used to be people around. That was a good sign. And Lloyd felt even more assured (and relieved) when he spotted the source of a fire. It was a campfire and by it, was a human figure.

It was an old man, in pretty concealing clothing. It covered his head, but his face was clear. He had a big, fluffy white beard and seemed a bit tan. When the man spotted Lloyd, he gave a warm, welcoming smile.

"Oho ho! Well met stranger! It's rather unusual to see another soul in these parts."

"No kidding. Can you please tell me where I am sir?"

The old man tilted his head, it was hard to see, but he was frowning. "This is the Great Plateau, my boy."

Seemingly confused by the blank expression on the teens face, he added: "Hyrule?"

Again, this didn't ring a bell for Lloyd. He never even heard of this 'High rule.' They have been to so many places, and it was so grand that he was sure it wasn't part of the world (or worlds) he knew. And it certainly wasn't Derris-Kharlan.

"Oh boy, you are not from around here, are you?" The old men then said, cutting through Lloyd's thoughts.

"A bit of an understatement. I think... I came from another world. But I don't know how."

Only the birds broke the silence when these words sank in as truth.


	2. Chapter 2

**X-Over: Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. Also, I still have to think of a title. So if anyone reads this, I'm open to suggestions._

* * *

The room was (poorly) lit with candle light. It were only a couple, their small light couldn't chase out the darkness. Even though said room wasn't very big.

But the person standing in it didn't care. This person was happy, very much so. It was hard to tell, because their face covered with a mask. Plain white with red paint, that formed a crying eye, but upside down.

On the table, laid a young male, maybe just around the 'becoming of age' point. His hair was blond and rather long, going into a ponytail on the back. When he was brought in, he only wore his undergarment. Now, there was a pretty simple blanket covering him up.

There was a fear this young man would wake up, or if worse came to be, die when he'd be pulled from his healing bath. They took a gamble, and they were lucky. He hadn't woken up and he was still breathing.

Even though the masked person wouldn't have cared less, it was a necessary thing. If this guy would die, he'll just come back again, like always, reincarnated. It was very frustrating and annoying.

So this was the ideal situation. With them, laid the 'hero of Hyrule', out for the count. Subject able to _anything_. It made them grin, regardless of the mask blocking that emotion from being seen.

Rubbing their hands, they walked around the unconscious young man, contemplating the possibilities.

There was a little knock on the frame. There was no door in this room. Doors was something the whole place didn't really have. Something about no secrets to hide.

"Master? I've come to report," a female voice with an accent said, though her voice was muffled by the mask.

"Very good. Tell me what you found there. Next to this one, of course." Clearly a mans voice, sounded deep from the one already in the room.

"Not much else, to be honest. I couldn't find out how to get out the slate. Even after I got him," with a hand, the woman gestured to the young man on the table. "out of the water. Nothing happened. I thought of waiting..."

"No. You did good bringing him here. He is what matters most."

She cocked her head at this remark. "But you seemed so set on the slate before, master."

"Yes, it is some nice technology. But now we got the hero himself in our hands. Think of the possibilities. We can prolong this malice even more. Maybe even get him to serve it."

Chuckling to himself, the man rubbed his hands again. He couldn't wait to get his hands on this and get to the real work.

"How will you get him to do that? Will he even wake up?"

He rubbed under his chin, clearly thinking about this. The woman did make a good point. How could he get around this, how could he make this work?

Suddenly he snapped his fingers. "I got it! My dear, fellow Yiga, I need you to go on the road yet again."

"What do I need to fetch for you, master?" She bowed her head, honored that he'd call her a 'fellow Yiga', while she is just a mere servant.

The man walked to the corner where he had his working station. It was small and packed with all kinds of stuff. From weird equipment to vials with strange colored liquid in them. He just grabbed some paper and a pencil from this and started drawing.

At his gesture, the Yiga stepped closer. The drawing was simple. It looked like an air balloon, on the ground. But instead of the basket, there was sturdy wood and a strange figure standing in it.

"This is sort of...shop. It only appears on certain places, at a certain time in the night." He pulled a map from a drawer and circled a couple of places. "I do not know all the details. But if you are smart you will just wait at one of these places until it shows up. It will appear next to a very precarious sign."

Next to the small station, was a small bag filled up. He picked this up and handed it to the female Yiga.

"The shopkeeper will ask for this kind of payment."

Weird enough, it were bits and pieces of the creatures that roamed all over Hyrule. Why would anyone need that? What would they use it for?

"What do I need to get from this shop?" She decided to keep this professional and not ask any unrelated questions.

"Ohhoho. You will know when you see it."

It was always a good sign when the master let his signature laugh be heard. She didn't want to ruin his mood. So she bowed for him, took the map and the drawing along with the bag and promised she will be back a soon as possible.

Of course the Yiga was curious what his exact plan was. But she will get the chance to experience it first hand, if she did a good job, and fast. She knew that. Being patient wasn't a problem. There was a place not to far from the base that was circled.

Getting to the hero was a lot of preparation. In hindsight, most of it was not needed. They all had expected a good defense system. Yes, the place itself was very hard to find, that took most of the time. It almost made them run out of time.

But the shrine was found, and broken into. They were with a couple of foot soldiers and some blade masters, just in case. But there was nothing. It was quiet, to quiet. On their guard they went in, hacking the system so that the doors would open for them.

Everyone guarded her back, while she alone went in the marked room, to scout out and see if there weren't any traps. Again, there was nothing. The hero just laid there, in the special healing bath.

Maybe something in the system went wrong. It had to be. You wouldn't preserve some one important like this and then not put up the necessary protection.

It still frustrated her that she couldn't get the Sheikah Slate. Whatever she tried, the pedestal didn't react. Destroying it wasn't an option, that could have damaged the slate itself.

In some cover, the Yiga set up a fire. She made sure the have a view of the right place. The sign was in her sight. Now it was just a matter of patience.


	3. Chapter 3

**X-Over: Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. Also, I still have to think of a title. So if anyone reads this, I'm open to suggestions._

* * *

Lloyd sagged on the grass, close to the fire and under the stone cover. He was in an other world. Not that hadn't happened before, but at least that was part _of_ their world, however strange that might sound.

This was clearly a whole other place. He had no clue how he came here, who brought him here and how to get back. All he wanted was to go home, see his friends and have adventures with them.

While the teen had no clue how long its been, it didn't _feel_ that long. But still, he missed those guys. Sheena, Regal, Zelos, Presea, Genis, Raine. Even Kratos...he missed.

But most of all, he missed Colette. He missed her warm smile, her kind eyes, the smell of her hair, the sound of her voice. For a moment, Lloyd put his hand on his heart, as if that would drive away the pain and void there. Then he clenched his fist and looked toward the old man across from him.

"Tell me all about this place."

The poor old man almost jumped after such a long period of silence. He looked at the teen across from him, then at the way he came from.

"Did you come from...there?" He was still very careful with his words.

Lloyd looked behind him for a brief moment and then nodded. There was no one around, but the man had to be careful for some reason, so he just went along.

A deep sigh came from the old man as he stood up. He had a walking stick with a lantern attached to it, which he pointed toward an old looking building a little ways away.

"Find me there. I will tell you everything I know. For now, I'd advise you to eat up. I know baked apples isn't much, but it is all I have. If you rather have something more filling, you will have to hunt for it. Be careful of the monsters though."

"Ah, don't worry. I know how to deal with those. Well, if I still would have had my swords..."

Lloyd looked at his hands. He felt naked and vulnerable without his weapons. It was clear that the old man was taken aback by his remark about being used to monsters. But he quickly shook his head.

"If you want you can use that ax."

Said ax was driven into a stump of what once was a tree. Lloyd could tell from a distance that it was old and rusted. But at least it would be something. He'd have to make due, and think of the fighting style that Presea uses.

To fill up for a bit, Lloyd devoured the baked apples around the campfire. He wanted to ask the old man some questions still, but when he looked up, he was gone. Disappeared into thin air.

"What the...?"

Lloyd stood up and walked out from under the cover. He could see no sign of the man. Not even his footsteps. Almost out of habit, he looked up. And shook his head. _Idiot. Of course he ain't there. This isn't a place full of Angels._ Or at least, that was what he hoped for. Not again, not ever.

Taking the last bite of the apple, he went to the ax and pulled it out of the stomp. It was a start. Before Lloyd really got the time to examine it, a strange noise made him look to the left.

A strange creature came toward him, making sounds that almost sounded pig like. It was kind of humanoid. But its skin was red and it had the nose of a pig and sharp teeth sticking out. And it wasn't very big. Even smaller then Lloyd was, and he knew he was short for his age.

What was pretty unique was that this creature was using a big, wooden club as a weapon. It span it around, squealing while it came toward Lloyd. Of course, he had no trouble dodging it. But he wasn't used to using an ax, even using a one handed weapon.

The fighting style of Presea was still very clear in his head however and he used that. She was a pretty heavy, all out attacker. He admired her for that. Even though she was petite, she was not in the slightest vulnerable.

The red creature fell pretty easily. It went up in smoke and left behind some bits. _Alright, that's pretty much the same_ , Lloyd thought while he picked up the club. Not very useful, so he dropped it again.

A ping came from the thing hanging of his right side. He would have nearly forgot about the slate. Taking it in both hands, Lloyd studied the source. The slate told him the creature he just killed was a Bokoblin, along with some info about the species. Apparently there were variations of the sort, different colors being stronger.

He also found an another feature that was labeled as 'map', but there was nothing on it. Just blue background and a yellow dot blinking. There was also a small arrow, pointing in one direction. And when Lloyd moved, it moved too. The dot stayed at its place.

Was this some how tracking him and pointing him in a direction? Lloyd looked where the dot would be. It seemed close to the old building the man pointed too. Strange. How could this device just know of itself that that's where he needed to go next?

Shaking his head, he hang back the device on his side. First he needed some real food. Meat. There was bound to be something in the woods behind him. It was time for some old fashioned hunting.

Of course, knowing his luck, Lloyd ran into danger before he could run into food. But it wasn't all bad. He got a bow and some arrows from it. That was useful for hunting, even though the teen had no real experience with it.

So practice was in order. On a tree, constantly watching his back. But it seemed that as soon as the small group of Bokoblin's were dealt with, it went quiet. That was good, but it made him feel lonely.

Raine would probably give him pointers on how to stand. Genis and Colette would just cheer him on. And Kratos. He would stand by him and really teach him. Strict and stern as always. But that was Kratos. That was...his dad.

With a sad sigh, Lloyd stared at the tree. The poor thing had a couple of arrows sticking in it. And around it, there were more of them.

"Sorry about that."

With his left hand he stroked the bark while he pulled out the arrows with his right. It wasn't anywhere close to there mana tree that they had just re-awoken. That thing was truly gigantic. He gave the tree a small pet.

"You'll get there some day."

It was getting dark. Finding some shelter would be the best thing to do now. A shape between the trees drew the teens attention. When he walked closer, it turned out to be a small cabin.

There was some open space around it. A couple of steps from the door, there was a cooking pot. It was all abandoned. The cabin had also seen better days. But Lloyd figured it was better then nothing.

The sight of the cooking pot, made his stomach rumble. He really needed to eat something, something that would fill him.

And as if his thoughts were heard, up ahead, between the trees, stood a bear. Nice and big. Something like that would certainly last for a bit.

As quietly as possible, Lloyd placed an arrow and drew back the string. _Please hit, please hit,_ he bagged in his head. He knew he had only one chance and had to make it count. That was pretty hard for a first timer.

Miraculously, the arrow hit it's target: the boar squealed loudly before it went down, arrow sticking straight out of its head.

"Wow, did I do that?" Lloyd walked to the body of the animal. It was pretty big, so he dragged it toward the cooking pot.

It was a shame none of the creatures he faced had weapons he could use. He still stuck to the ax. And now he had to use that to cut this beast open. It won't be easy. The ax wasn't really sharp, so that made it worse.

But you have to do with what you got. Take what you can get and make the best of it. You can't change the situation you are in, better just shape it so that you can live with it.

That was something Dirk would say. The man that raised him. Who he now and always calls _dad_. Kratos was just that, a name. He had no real bond with him, other then blood. It may seem harsh, but that was just how things were.

It wasn't a thing Lloyd normally did, cooking. But he had seen enough examples. He couldn't be worse then Raine, that was for sure. And he had to give it to himself: it did smell pretty good. When he tasted it, it was satisfying.

Yeah, it wasn't perfect, but it didn't have to be. As long as it filled the stomach. The rest of the boar was cut up as neatly as possible with a blunt ax. This was put in the bag Lloyd had found close by the chests where the clothing was in.

It was weird. It almost seemed like the bag was endless. He could stick his whole arm in there and still would not find the bottom. But for some reason, if he needed something, he'd just find it in his hand and pull it out.

What a curious world he found himself in. A strange name for it too. If he didn't know any better, Lloyd would have kept calling it High rule, but the Slate had showed the proper spelling.

To be on the safe side, he kicked out the fire under the pot. Hopefully the cabin had something he could sleep on. But realistically, looking at its state, it wouldn't. So to be sure, Lloyd gathered fallen leaves.

There was a bed stand in the cabin. But of course, it was just wood, no mattress. So the leaves had to make up for that. It wasn't ideal, but better then the stern wood. There was also a table, with some apples and a book on it.

Maybe it was currently owned by some one. _Well, if that is the case, just gotta hope he or she is friendly and understands I need shelter._

Lloyd was a pretty carefree kind of person. But still, this was a strange world for him, and he was the stranger. So he was at a disadvantage. He would have to be careful.

Tired of the day, full of information, non information, shock and confusion, he laid on the pile of leaves, staring at the roof. It had cracks every where. Not only from wear, but it was also how it was build. They weren't big enough to let real rain through, so it was fine.

Besides, it gave a pretty nice view of the stars. The sky was pretty much the same. As were the plants, and the animals. Maybe this wasn't so bad. It will work out, it will be fine. Tomorrow he will face the day with renewed strength and (hopefully) more things will become clear.

With those thoughts reassuring him, Lloyd fell in a deep sleep.

Breakfast would have been best with bread. But there was none of that. The only healthy alternative laid on the table next to the book: apples, again.

"Fine. Apples it is then."

Mumbling, Lloyd stood up and stretched. The leaves still didn't help as much as he had hoped, so he was still pretty stiff. So he did some exercise to get that out. While he did that, he bit the apple and opened the book next to it.

For some reason, it was just clear that this was owned by the old man. Maybe it was the way of writing that made it clear. All it was about was food and cooking. Enthusiastically so. The man sure seemed to be like that, at first. Until he learned where Lloyd came from.

He wasn't the hero. That was the problem, as far as he understood. But that was all the information he gathered. And the voice that told him that, he hadn't heard since he left the cave. So maybe it would only be there, was it just some kind of computer system.

Sadly, the slate at his hip didn't tell him much either. It seemed some how corrupted, a lot of the information was in strange signs and hidden. But he ought to be able to do something with it, why else was he encouraged to take it?

No time but the present to find out. Taking another apple, the teen left the cabin, going toward 'the yellow dot.' With one hand, he lazily corrected his brown hair. It was growing a bit long, he hadn't had the time to cut it for a while.

It was all a haze. The journey, Dherris-Kharlan, the fight with Mithos, reviving the tree. It still was mind blowing how fast it all went. All the build up, fighting, truths and pains. It all ended in a big tree.

Yggdrasiel would give new life to the world, provide the mana it needed. No more battle for it. That was the ideal the whole group wanted to see. A lot agreed with them, but of course there were also those who were against it.

The kind of people who just wanted everyone to suffer, wanted to see the world(s) burn. That's how Lloyd saw it, at least.

And Kratos. He was just going along with Mithos. His view on things were... valid at some points, but mostly just twisted. An old view on the world that clearly had to be changed. But they both believed there was no saving it.

Still, Kratos didn't really fight him. He let his son have his own thoughts and ideals. Some where, deep inside, he still was his father. And a proud one, even tough he never really showed it. But Lloyd didn't need him. He had shown throughout the journey that he was strong enough on his own.

Of course, Lloyd had no real clue how long he really was in that strange bath. But it didn't feel that long. And the tree revival was like, days before that. At least, that's how it felt. Who knows how long it really has been?

The sun was rising, while the teen cleared the last trees and walked toward the building. Now it was a bit clearer, it seemed like an old church, with some age to it and green trying to take it over.

Strangely enough, the yellow dot wasn't pointing to that. It was to a pile of rocks. Weird, to say the least. What was so special about it? Of course, Lloyd needed to investigate it, curious as always. There was an opening, and his eyes immediately saw something he recognized. It was the same sort of pedestal that gave him the slate. It even have the square shape, that was a perfect fit.

The slate even told Lloyd to pit it in. So he did. It sank in, and turned to the right, giving of an orange light.

"Sheikah Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks," a robotic voice sounded.

"What?"

Before Lloyd could further react, everything started shaking. Suddenly the next moment he was pressed against the floor while the platform around him rose up fast. Rocks fell indeed, but luckily Lloyd was safe under an arch.

When the shaking finally stopped, Lloyd carefully stood up with unsteady legs. He just saw it happen how a blue drop splashed into the slate. It was still in the pedestal, the weird drop came from a rock like shape with strange shapes and colors to it.

"Distilling local information..." said the same robotic voice from before.

It wasn't really clear for Lloyd where this voice came from. It would make sense it was the slate. But it never really 'talked' to him before. Maybe it wasn't really meant to be functional.

On the screen, a map appeared. But only part of it. Compared to the amount of blue space that was still left, it was a small part. _How big_ is _this world?_

"Regional map extracted." It told him, before it turned back around and was set back up again.

Walking to the edge, the teen took in the new view. He was very high up, it gave him almost a full view of the world, or at least that was what it felt like. It was simply giant. It was hard to say if this was bigger then Sylvarant or Tetthe'alla.

 _Man, it would have been nice to have a Rheaird. That would cover a lot of land._ There were a couple of things that really jumped out to Lloyd. Again, he was impressed by how big the volcano seemed in the far distance. And it even looked very active, dangerous. And to the far left, something big seemed to be hanging in the air. It seemed to be shaped like a bird.

Of course, most clear, was the big castle in the middle of it all. Like, really in the middle of the land. But it didn't look in a very good state.

Out of nowhere, it suddenly became shrouded in dark mass with glowing red spots. It went around the castle and rose up until it formed a horned beast that roared with glowing eyes.

"The hero has been asleep for one hundred years. The beast. When the beast regains its true power, this world will face its end."

It was the same female voice from before, echoing again. This time, there was no room, no real place it could have come from. It more seemed to be in his head, some how.

"There is little time. And our hero is lost. I am afraid you will have to take his place."

She sounded sad, tired, almost defeated. Clearly, she was hoping for some one else.

It went quiet after that. The teen wished he could talk to this person. Ask questions, but also some how comfort her. He hated to hear some one in need and not be able to do anything.

Nothing else left but to decent the tower. Lloyd did this carefully, even though there was a pretty secure grip on the side of the tower. He'd rather take his time then fall to his death.

A call made Lloyd look behind him, just to see the old man come flying in on a sort of kite and neatly landing on the ground. Where in Martels name did he come from?

"My, my. It would seem we have quite the enigma here. This tower and others just like it have erupted across the land, one after another. It is almost as though... a long dormant power has awoken quite suddenly. If do you mind me asking, did anything odd occur while you were atop that tower?"

It was almost like this old man already knew. He didn't want to say it, but hear it from Lloyd for some reason. With a sigh, he just went along with it.

"I heard a voice."

"Well now! A voice, you say? What did this voice tell you?"

"Not enough, if I'm being honest. Only something about a beast, over by the castle."

They both turned to the big building in question. The old man nodded, in thought for a moment.

"That beast... is Calamity Ganon. One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely. There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It would appear that moment is fast approaching..."

He turned to look at Lloyd. Even though his hood made a shade over his face, the seriousness was hard to miss.

"I have no right to ask this of you, if I wasn't desperate. But do you think you can make it to that castle?"

Lloyd wanted to say no. He had a lot of questions still. All he wanted was to find a way to get back home. Still… this man sounded very desperate indeed.

The teens eyes looked back at the corrupted castle. It was were the voice came from. He was sure of that. Was the owner stuck in that darkness?

"What ever you might choose, this plateau wont offer you anything. You would need to leave it. And that wont be easy, because of it's steep walls and drops. If you were to jump off… well, no death can be more certain. Or more foolish. Of course, if you had a para glider like mine, that would be a whole other story."

"Could I possible have that?" Lloyd asked quietly, not expecting to get a yes. Nothing was ever that easy, he knew that from experience.

"It is a harsh world out there," the man said, looking ahead. "I would like you to stand a chance, at the very least."

He walked ahead up a small hill just a little to the left to them. Lloyd just silently followed the old man. What caught his eyes immediately, was a structure straight ahead.

It had a strange, rock like shape to it. The pattern it had was swirly and was colored bright orange, that went from the bottom to the half way point. The front had a circle-like platform, and something that seemed like an entrance that was closed off.

"It began glowing at the exact moment those towers rose up from the ground. Those places hold something useful, for the journey ahead."

This seemed all the man wanted to say. There seemed so much between those words, things that he didn't want to say. Why all this secrecy? Lloyd wasn't even from here! It didn't really matter for him. If anything, it would help him to get some more insight.

With a sigh, the teen walked toward the weird structure. There was some water in between, and also some more of those red Bokoblins. They were easily dealt with. Lloyd wished they had more advanced weapons than clubs. He was really missing being able to dual wield swords, still having to work with a one handed axe.

It had the same kind of pedestal he has seen before, but this one didn't have a perfectly shaped indent. So the teen just held the slate up to it. The pedestal turned blue, the same kind of robot voice from before saying 'Sheikah Slate confirmed.'

The circle behind Lloyd, with all kinds of weird swirls in it, lit up blue as well. 'Travel gate registered to map.'

He didn't get the time to think about that strange statement. 'Access granted.' With these words, behind him, the horizontal slabs opened up to the left and right. They showed the way to a small, round platform. It had the crying eye symbol on its surface he had seen many times now.

Even though Lloyd was unsure, he wanted to investigate. Carefully, he stepped on the platform. It got surrounded by a blue light column, and then it descended, a very long way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

Luck was with her, it seemed. The balloon shaped shop appeared the very first night the female Yiga set up camp. She didn't see how it came there. She blinked and suddenly the thing was standing there, close to the sign.

Somewhat wary, the Yiga walked toward the shop. A strange shape stood in it, not to mention its face. Were those buttons for eyes, and was that a hole instead of a nose?

On closer inspection, it revealed to be the back of the shopkeeper. But when this person turned around, the sight didn't really improve.

Its head was almost egg shaped, with a wide mouth like that of a toad. And the skin-color matched that. Over its tick, wide lips poked exactly two, sharp teeth. There was a little tuft of white hair on the top of its head, next to that it had a small mustache and a couple of hairs under its lips.

The figure was kind of hunched over. It was clothed in a sort of cloak, but most of its arms – which were long, stripped and had clawed fingers – were exposed. The feet were also clear to see, but those seemed pretty normal, be it a bit short legged.

"Oh, well this is an interesting sight. A Yiga coming to my little shop." The creature said with a small shriek in its voice, rubbing its hands together.

Still careful, holding a bit of distance, the female Yiga asked: "Who are you?"

The creature looked surprised. "Me? My name is Kilton. I suppose you are here because you heard I was opening a monster shop, and you wanted to see for yourself."

"A monster shop?" She asked confused.

"Yes. I am opening a monster shop called Fang and Bone. But I'm still preparing for my grand opening. Here, take my business card."

It was a pretty simple one. '- Fang and Bone - Come see ol' Kilton for the most _monstrous_ deals in all of Hyrule!'

"I uh…am going to need that card back. It's the only one I have."

Not very smart, but she kept that remark to herself and give the creature its card back.

"So," Kilton leaned forward, folding its hands (claws?) together. "Tell me, are _you_ into monsters?"

She cocked her head. It was a bit of a strange question that she had to consider.

"They are mostly just in the way."

"No, no. You should like them. I _adore_ them, love them!" Kilton raised its shrieking voice for a moment. But then it cleared its throat.

"I uh…sorry. I did it again." It dropped its head on the counter, as in shame. "I just love the field of monster research so much that I decided to open a shop all about monsters! I travel all around Hyrule in search of rare and exciting monster parts. But I'm not sure which village I should visit next. Kakariko or Hateno Village?"

Kilton trailed of naming some other pretty well known places. The Yiga was really doubting that she really should be here. By the looks of things, he didn't have much to offer in this shop of his. She saw a lot of books, bits and pieces that were hard to identify, and the biggest piece was a mask of a Blue Moblin.

The shop keep kept on talking even though his one client wasn't really listening. She didn't really see anything useful in this shop. It was all just...crap.

"Oh, sorry. Here I am just blathering away. What can I help you with dear?"

The Yiga decided to let the 'dear' slide. It was because of the ways she was treated in the past – like she was very delicate porcelain – that sh chose a very different kind of life style. The Yiga clan's ideals and plans she could agree with. It wouldn't bother her to much to walk over a couple of bodies to get there.

"Master Koga said that I would know it when I see it. Is this all you have?"

A gesture to the very small space behind the creature. Kilton 's eyes followed her movement.

"No, no. that is just mostly for show. Allow me."

Kilton turned around for a moment, and the next turned back, both claws full of stuff. Was this creature magic? Did it have a bottomless bag some where?

The Yiga shook her head slightly; concentrate! There must be something here, master said so.

She was shown some masks first, from all kinds of monsters that wondered around. They would make you invisible among them, or so Kilton told her. As long as you didn't act weird of course.

Then there were some weird weapons, so called ingredients and even things for a horse (that looked pretty creepy actually).

"Still nothing, huh?" Kilton noticed a missing enthusiasm in the Yiga. "Well, I got one more thing. Though I don't really see how it could be useful to you."

Clothing was put upon the counter. A full set: a pair of pants, a short sleeved tunic and a cap. All in one single color: black.

She looked it up and down. But for some reason her eyes were drawn back to just the cap. It seemed such a simple piece of fabric. Just a bit of cloth, going into a point. It was very much Hylian, except for the color.

Kilton cackled, which gave her involuntary chills. "Got your attention, hm? Well, well, isn't that interesting..."

"How much for the cap?" She rudely interrupted, not planning on letting this creature in on to much information. Next to that, she was pretty done with all this.

"Hmm, it wont come cheep."

The Yiga just let the bag full of monster bits fall on the counter, with a pretty impressive 'thump'. It had its effect. Kilton stared at it and then greedily grabbed it to look inside.

"Oh, oh yes. This will do fine. Such a pleasure to do business with you Yiga."

By this point, she just took the cap from the shop keeps bent, weirdly green hand an left. It was not that she was uncomfortable. She was just done. And also very curious now. What will this bit of black cloth be able to do?

Master Koga told me to go with my gut, and that is what I did. Hopefully I wont let him down. I would feel so stupid and ashamed.

The way back was as uneventful as going there. It was very well known terrain. And the monsters tended to leave the Yiga alone. They somehow knew they were on the same side (Ganon's). Maybe they saw it, or just smelled it?

Koga was once again with their hostage. She had no clue what he was doing, but did not doubt it was useful.

"Back already? My, do you work fast."

"Thank you, master. But I was just lucky. How did you know about that... thing?"

"Oh, that is a story for another time. Do you have it?" He was rubbing has hands together, meaning he was getting excited.

Hopefully this wouldn't disappoint... The female Yiga showed her purchase: a piece of cloth, in a form of a cap, deep black. She still wasn't sure about it, but should she mistrust her guts?

Master Koga cocked his head and she felt her heart sink. Did she disappoint him? Did she really miss the target this hard?

"It is perfect, well done!" He suddenly applauded.

"M-master?" She was very shocked. And then followed by curiosity: "What does it do?"

"Ah, I will show you. I need to wake our hero up first. Do me a favor and grab that vial with green liquid?"

Koga pointed to his work bench while he walked around the table the hero was on, making sure all the straps were tight enough to hold him. Not that he'd would really get anywhere in the middle of this Yiga hide out.

The vial had a worrying glow an it's green contents didn't look to healthy. Master Koga gestured her to stand at the side of the table, by the blond guy's face. Koga himself stood at the head.

"Uncork that and hold it under his nose."

Of course she did what the master asked. The strong odor even hit her own nostrils a bit. So it was no surprise the hero shot up immediately, but the strains kept him in place. There was panic in his clear blue eyes, also pure confusion. He didn't expect to wake up here, of course. On a table, with two red clad, masked persons.

"Hello there, hero. You've been asleep for one hundred years, so I figured it was about time to wake you up."

Koga cackled, looming over the blond haired young man. More shock and confusion filled his eyes. Was she...feeling sorry for him? Quickly she shook her head. This was the great enemy who would destroy their hard work in an instant! Just thinking that made her hate this boy again.

"Now, don't you think it would be fun if the hero would work for us?"

The question was directed to her. She looked at her master, cocking her head to show her confusion.

"Ah, you're thinking: 'the hero would never do that! He is loyal to Hylia.' But, what if we corrupt him, just like Ganon did all the Divine Beasts?"

"Can we really do that?"

"Watch."

Koga cackled once again. Then he pulled the cap over the hero's head. At first, there was nothing. Only the boy who was still frantically trying to get free.

Then, it started – weirdly enough – at his feet. (The blanket didn't cover that much.) Something dark, like ink pored over them and crept up his legs. It was almost like a _Shadow_ that was falling over him.

Next to all the black, the hair chose to be white as snow, and a pair of emerald shaped, bright red eyes. This image send an involuntary chill down the female Yiga's spine.

Koga loosened the bindings. "Stand up," he commanded.

The dark figure listened, much to her surprise. Even though this figure wasn't tall, it was still imposing, purely because of those glowing, blood red eyes.

"This is Dark Link. The hero is no more. He serves..." Koga looked at the dark appearance, expecting to fill in for him. But there was only silence, as the cold eyes stared dead ahead.

"Uhm, well Ganon."

"Are you sure?" She didn't want to doubt her master, but this felt so terribly wrong. Not in a moral kind of way, but just whole picture. It didn't feel like it would serve anything, but itself.

"Hey, I used my magic. The cap acts like a mind control. He is ours now."

It was admirable, surely enough.

"Won't it easily come off?"

"Geez. Have a little more faith in me! I protected it of course. It wont be easy at all."

"I'm sorry, master. I did not mean to doubt you. Pleas forgive me." She bowed deep.

Koga waved it away. "Ah, I cant stay mad at you, you've done so much good work."

"Thank you master. What will you let this...Dark Link do?"

She still eyed him suspiciously. Luckily Koga couldn't see that thanks to that mask. He rubbed his hands together and laughed.

"Let him create chaos and despair. It would be a real blow if the so called hero starts to do just that. The people will have no hope left!"

The plan seemed fine, so she nodded to her master. It was best to follow his advise and take some rest.

Koga turned toward the shadowy figure. "Go out and bring the people despair. Let them see that even the hero has given up."

All Dark Link did was bowing his head lightly. After that he left, swiftly vanishing out of sight. Koga laughed triumphantly.

"Ganon, all is on your side now. Nothing will stop you now. That damned princess will perish soon enough and you will rule all!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

The so called Shrines kind of reminded Lloyd of the temples they had to visit while on the journey of regeneration. But a lot smaller. The pedestal close to the elevator gave him something for his slate, much like how it worked with the ring that gave a certain element.

In this case he got a strange magnet shape on the screen of the slate. When it activated, it could easily lift things made of metal, which were blocking his way of progress. It was another sort of puzzle, an interesting twist on the function of the ring Lloyd was used to.

After doing pretty simple puzzles, the teen came to a last 'room'. It was more like a big square that seemed made out of energy almost. In it was a figure. It almost looked like a mummy, but it was still alive.

Lloyd wasn't to sure of that, even though this mummy talked to him, calling himself a monk. Having to wait for who knows how long for one man.

It must have been very disappointing he wasn't the right one. But he didn't really address that. He just gave the visitor a blessing, which was a small purple orb, with a symbol inside that looked like a bird spreading its wings.

After that, he was magically teleported back outside the shrine. It felt a bit weird, not the same feeling he got from the platforms back home.

It wasn't easy, getting all four shrines. Mostly the ones higher up and in the cold were a hassle. He wasn't really dressed for the cold, but he just had to endure. Some food did keep him somewhat warm. Eventually the teen found a warm jacket he could wear, which he did gladly.

It was almost no surprise that he ran into the old man again. He showed Lloyd that a tree needed to be cut down in order to get across a steep cliff. On the other side was one of the shrines. But of course the old man didn't stay to hang around.

This and the next shrine also gave some interesting things for the slate. The slate itself called them runes for some reasons. Sure. One made slabs of ice out of water that rose up. The other stopped momentum, or 'time' for an object for a little while.

The last one, was within a number of walls, that made Lloyd wonder what was there first. It gave him the most strange one: bombs that materialized out of the slate.

It made him look over the slate several times. He saw no real way how these things could come to be like that. Was it some sort of magic then? But his Exsphere still wasn't working. So was it a different kind of magic?

When he was done with the shrine, he was in for another surprise. There were a lot of statues around, in a kind of bell shape. Some had some legs sticking out. They all seemed fallen and old.

But suddenly these things came alive, in the same kind of glow that the shrine had. It had one eye and it made a sound like it was charging up. Lloyd thanked his reflexes, when a laser beam shot his way.

The dry grass he was just on caught fire instantly. The statue began charging again. Luckily it was immobile, so Lloyd could just run away from it.

When catching his breath, the teen saw in the slate that the things were called guardians. But again, there was not much more info. Was every one and everything withholding it from him, or did it get lost to time?

One hundred years isn't _that_ long. But with all the destruction around, maybe it wasn't that far fetched.

The old man found him again, somehow... What was with this guy? Lloyd could find himself thinking.

"With this, you now have acquired all of the Spirit Orbs from the shrines on this plateau." The old man laughed shortly. "Extraordinary!"

Lloyd opened his mouth to say something, but the man cut him off.

"That means...its finally time. Li..I mean Lloyd. It's finally time for me to tell you everything. But first."

He turned his back and pointed towards the tower with his stick. "Imagine an X on your map, with the four shrines as the end points. Find the spot where those lines intersect. I shall wait there for you."

The man turned back toward Lloyd. "Do you understand?"

But before the teen could react, the old man literally faded away until a few, greenish flames were there, danced around and floated up until they disappeared as well.

"What in Martel's name was that?"

He had seen people disappear before, hell, the Monks faded away too after they talked to him. But they went up into thine little particles that flew away. This was different.

 _Who...no_ what _is this man? Well, there is only one way to find out. I need answers. He better damn well give me them when I get there!_

First, he wanted to find some shelter and get some shuteye. It was getting dark too. Between the shrines he didn't really take rest, which was of course wrong. But it was just like him; when Lloyd had to do something he'd rather go through it all at once.

It wasn't good for him, he did realize that. But the teen was also very stubborn, just like his real father, so he learned. And he hated how much he was like him.

The old looking building came into sight once again, the tower that was activated earlier was almost looming over it. It seemed the best place to get some sleep. There was nothing but open field and trees and Lloyd couldn't see himself spending a night in one of those thin trees.

Luckily, he spotted it before it woke up; another Guardian, sitting idle close to the building. Very carefully, the teen sneaked around it. He didn't want to go through the shooting laser beam madness again.

On the stairs, there was also a Bokoblin standing around, as if it was guarding this place. Was it that smart? And what was it guarding? It was just an old building, and a crumbled one at that. It seemed to have suffered a great amount of attacks.

More of those Guardians were lying around, but Lloyd discovered that this didn't mean they'd all would come alive. Some would just stay dormant. Probably just out of energy, or what ever these things were running on.

Lloyd managed to get past all threats without having to fight. It wasn't that he didn't want to, he quite liked fighting. But now, he knew he was to tired to do it. If you were tired, you would make mistakes. And mistakes could be fatal.

There was no door blocking the way in. There was hardly place for it; the walls that should be holding it were broken and incomplete.

From the inside (well, there wasn't that much 'inside' to it) the damage seemed even worse. Big holes in the walls, roof and green overgrowing all of it, claiming what was left of it. There was not much left of the interior, except for a bit of stairs and statues.

They were all the same. A couple of little ones, around one big one. It looked like a woman, though there was no real face. Lloyd could only tell by the long hair. Her hands were put together in prayer and on her back were a set of wings.

Lloyd got involuntary chills because of that. So they _did_ know about Angels. And by the way this was portrayed, they were worshiped? The teen shook his head: he could be totally wrong about all of this. This was another world after all.

A sign was next to the big statue. 'You who have conquered the shrines and claimed their Spirit Orbs. I can offer you great power. In exchange for four Spirit Orbs, I will amplify your being. So tell me what it is that you desire.'

Beneath this text there were two simple symbols: a heart and a circle around another circle. Lloyd had no clue what either of these meant. These orbs were probably the ones he got from the monks in the shrines.

So the teen just shrugged and touched the circle symbol. It was very strange, suddenly he felt like he had a bit more energy. He wasn't as tired as he was before.

Suddenly, a call came from up above. With a start, Lloyd looked around and then upward. There, next to a big hole in the roof, was the old man, standing _on_ the slanted roof.

"The blessing of the Goddess has made you that much more resilient, I see. Here I am. Get up here, quickly!"

After he said that, the old man turned around and walked out of sight. As if the slanted roof wasn't difficult terrain at all. The same thought came to Lloyd again: who _was_ this man. Was he even human? He had serious doubts about it. And how was he supposed to get all the way up there?

After some searching, Lloyd found a way. On the outside of the wall, there was a ladder, going all the way up to the roof. But the teen wouldn't go about this as coolly as the man would. He was going to do this more carefully, watching every step as he crossed the roof.

The old man was waiting for him in the little tower atop op the building. He was hard to miss. It was almost as if he had a sort of greenish blue glow around him.

Alright, Lloyd thought. He _certainly_ isn't human. Can I trust him? Should I turn back?

The teen looked back at the statue of the Angel. But the old man had called it a Goddess. Maybe he was reading to much into it. He needed to keep in mind that this wasn't the world he was used to.

With a hand on his weapon, Lloyd approached ever so careful, looking for any signs of danger. If there was any wrong move, he would _act_ right away, no questions asked.

No doubt he didn't look so intimidating when he had to clamber on to the tower itself. Still, Lloyd got into a ready stance, staring up to the old man.

"Well done." He laughed. The laugh wasn't condescending, it was honest.

"Now then. The time has come to show you who I truly am."

Finally! Still, Lloyd kept a hand on his weapon. Ready for whatever, or so he thought.

But when the old man changed appearance right in front of the teen, in a blinding flash of light, that demeanor was gone. He now looked liked a king, big, regal and royal. But also, he was floating a bit of the ground and a bit see through.

"I was King Rhoam Boshoramus Hyrule. I was the last leader of Hyrule. A kingdom that no longer exists."

Lloyd could only think 'what the hell?', he was to shocked to say it out loud. Or to say anything, at all.

"The Great Calamity was merciless. It devastated everything in its path, lo, a century ago. It was then that my life was taken away from me. And since that time, here I have remained, in spirit form."

Wait, I am talking to a ghost? Lloyd thought with awe. Then again…it wasn't really the first time. It made him thing back to Presea 's sister and it made him sad.

The spirit king had turned around to face the outside, looking at the castle in the distance.

"I did not think it was wise to overwhelm you, because you are in a strange place. So rather than that, I thought it best to assume a temporary form."

He looked over his shoulder and bowed his head slightly. For a king, this man was still pretty humble. "Forgive me."

His gaze went back to the castle, shadows and red mist surrounding it, spiraling slowly.

"I think you are now ready, to hear what happened one hundred years ago. It will clear some things up for you. Some questions you may have about this world.

"To know Calamity Ganon 's true form, one must know the story from an age long past. The demon king was born into this kingdom, but his transformation into Malice created the horror you see now."

Lloyd didn't know how the king was doing it, but the shadows around the castle now changed into a certain form. It almost looked like a boars head, with really big horns and one bright, glowing eye.

"Stories of Ganon were passed from generation to generation in the form of legends and fairy tales. But there was also a prophecy. 'The signs of a resurrection of Calamity Ganon are clear. And the power that oppose it lies dormant beneath the ground.'

"We decided to heed the prophecy and began excavating large areas of the land. It wasn't long before we discovered several ancient relics mad by the hands of our distant ancestors. These relics, the Devine Beasts, were giant machines piloted by warriors. We also found the Guardians, an army of mechanical soldiers who fought autonomously."

So those things were meant for war, essentially. That was what it came down to. Lloyd shook his head in disbelieve and disapproval.

"This coincided with ancient legends, oft repeated throughout our land. We also learned of a princess with a sacred power and her appointed knight, chosen by the sword that seals the darkness. It was they who sealed Ganon away using the power of these ancient relics.

"One hundred years ago, there was a princess set to inherit a sacred power and a skilled knight at her side. It was clear that we must follow our ancestors' path. We selected four skilled individuals from across Hyrule and tasked them with the duty of piloting the Divine Beasts."

It sounded out right crazy. To go with a prophecy like that, putting people into huge machines not really knowing what they'd really do and just hoping for the best. Going blindly for what they have been told. Man, didn't that sound familiar.

"With the princess as their commander, we dubbed these pilots Champions – a name that would solidify their unique bond. The princess, her appointed knight, and the rest of the Champions were on the brink of sealing away Ganon…

"But nay. Ganon was cunning, and he responded with a plan beyond our imagining. He appeared from deep below Hyrule Castle, seized control of the Guardians and the Devine Beasts, and turned them against us."

Could have seen that coming, Lloyd thought, but of course he didn't say that out loud.

"The Champions lost their lives. Those residing in the castle as well. The appointed knight, gravely wounded, collapsed while defending the princess. And thus, the kingdom of Hyrule was devastated absolutely by Calamity Ganon. However, the princess survived, to face Ganon alone."

Another voice sounded. The same female voice Lloyd had heard before, right inside his head.

"Link…he was our final hope. The fate of Hyrule rests with him." She sounded discouraged, tired and almost defeated. For a moment, Lloyd wished he could help this woman, who ever she was.

"That princess was my own daughter. My dear Zelda. And the courageous knight who protected her right up to the very end.." The king finally turned around to face Lloyd once again. "That knight was Link, who was supposed to be the one standing before me."

He sighed and shook his head. "I can not blame you, of course. You do not know what happened to him. You just found yourself there, didn't you?"

Lloyd could do nothing more then nod, still processing all the information.

"I believe you were send to help. Some one or something took Link, and a higher power, maybe even our Goddess Hylia, found a good replacement."

"Me?" The teen blinked a couple of times, looking up to the king. He wanted to deny him, the very thought of it. But couldn't find himself to do so. Because of the voice he heard, and the slightly desperate look in the face of the man who was standing before him.

"The voice you have been hearing, is princess Zelda herself. Even now, as she works to restrain Ganon from within Hyrule Castle, she calls out for help. And she finds it in you. She seems to trust in you, so I will as well.

"However, my daughter's power will soon be exhausted. Once that happens, Ganon will freely regenerate himself and nothing will stop him from consuming our land. Considering that I could not save my own kingdom, I have no right to ask this of you, Lloyd."

The king clenched his fist, clearly struggling, even tough he tried to hide it in his face.

"But I am powerless here. You must save her, my daughter. And do whatever it takes to annihilate Ganon. Somehow, Ganon has maintained control over all four Divine Beasts, as well as those Guardians swarming around Hyrule Castle."

Turning back to look at it, the king continued.

"I believe it would be quite reckless for you to head directly to the castle at this point. I suggest, that you make your way east, out to one of the villages in the wilderness."

Lloyd finally walked up to stand next to the king, to look at where he was pointing at. It was a mountain, but in a shape as if a big sword had sliced right through the middle of it.

"Follow the road out to Kakariko Village. There you will find the elder, Impa. She will tell you more about the path that lies ahead. Consult the map on your Sheikah Slate for the precise location of Kakariko Village. Make your way past the twin summits of the Dueling Peaks. From there, follow the road as it proceeds north. Also, I would advise you to keep it to yourself, that you are from another world. Think about what you say. The Sheikah are safe, but no one else."

The king turned toward Lloyd and looked down at him. The fact that he was slightly floating above the floor make him even taller.

"Here is the para glider, just as I promised."

It looked like a pretty simple kite, but it was fold able. Lloyd studied it for a moment, wondering if this piece of cloth between some sticks would really be able to hold him up. Sure, the big man in front of him used it, but he was also a _ghost_.

"With this, you should be able to safely fly off the cliffs surrounding this area. And…I think that's it. I've told you everything I can. Lloyd, please. You must save…Hyrule."

The last words faded away, together with the king. A couple of green wisps remained for a little bit, before they too disappeared. And so, Lloyd found himself alone again.

For a long while, he was just on his knees, staring of in the distance, not seeing anything. Lloyd was in his own head, going through everything again and again.

That king wants _me_ to solve it all? Why? Why wouldn't he want the true hero, this Link person? Shouldn't there at least be a search for him? Why does it put it all on me? He doesn't even know me!

Lloyd cursed softly, feeling his knees now because of the stone floor. Could he really just reject and ignore this clearly desperate call for help? Of course not. The teen was not like that. If he could help people out, he wouldn't think twice about it.

So he stood up, looking towards the walls that were preventing progress before. The teen looked at the so called para glider in his hands. Surely the king wouldn't give him something that would not work, even help him to a quick death.

Putting trust in this, Lloyd was to test it out. The tower wasn't to high up, so it was a good test ride. To his surprise, the para glider held him, with ease. So he glided further, deciding to just go for it, past the steep walls.

It was still dark out, but it was getting lighter, the sun was starting to rise. The new energy Lloyd had was quickly depleting, holding the kite up didn't really help either. He was glad to finally hit land again, his arms were almost done.

A walked out path was ahead of the teen, going on like it was the main road. Or probably just the most traveled way. There were a lot of trees around and slight hills, making a nice, green flowing landscape.

Still no people, no real sign of life. No real houses to be seen. The blow that had been suffered was still very noticeable, even though it was one hundred years later.

How many people did it wipe out, Lloyd wondered. Were there even any people left? The king couldn't know for sure, right? Who knows how long he waited for the hero to come back. He must have been very disappointed, even though he didn't show it.

Imagine his surprise when he spotted a human figure ahead, on the road, coming towards Lloyd. This person was carrying a rather large backpack and was cheerfully whistling, but still on guard, looking around almost constantly.

When Lloyd was spotted, the person waved enthusiastically. "Hello there, traveler!"

It was a man, probably in his thirties. His smile was warm and happy, just as happy to see some one on this road as Lloyd was.

"Can I interest you in some wears? I have some nice meat with me." The man said, patting his large backpack.

A traveling merchant. If those were around, that meant there were more people. Thank Martel for that!

"Sorry, I don't have anything on me at the moment. But, can you maybe tell me if there is a place I could stay safely?"

"Oh, sure thing. You just follow the road, go between the peaks and you'll see a stable. You can rest there."

"Sounds nice, thanks." Lloyd nodded to the man.

"Good luck traveler." He raised a hand as a goodbye and then started walking again.

Where was he going? There is nothing but a wall behind me. Lloyd shrugged; who was he to question things?

It seemed quite a walk, but it was better than the alternative. It wasn't wise to sleep outside all on your own while monsters were wondering around. He knew that all to well.

Going on that bit of energy he still had left, Lloyd went towards the interesting looking mountain. Dueling Peaks, as the king had called them. An interesting name.

Because the teen was getting thirsty, he went towards a small lake he spotted a little of the way. A ping from the slate made him stop and he looked at it.

It was something new, that hadn't come up before on the slate. It was a picture, of two people, with two clear peaks and the small lake in the back ground. They were a boy and a girl, about the same age as Lloyd.

The boy had long dark blond hair, some of it kept together with an elastic band. His eyes were clear blue and he was just a little tan. His look was quite stern, not smiling for the picture the girl was taking. He had a sword and shield strapped on his back.

As for the girl…She reminded Lloyd of Colette. The same kind of long, blond hair, pale face, wide smile, shining eyes. By Martel did that sting. The color of the eyes were different, though. This girl had bright green eyes, instead of very pale blue like Colette.

Some how, Lloyd knew who these two were. It was because he had heard their story now, of the king of the land himself. The boy was Link and the girl was his daughter Zelda.

Is some one testing me, the teen wondered. Throwing me in a strange world, away from all I know, all my friends, family, loved ones. Only to throw a look-a-like in, in my head even!

Lloyd rubbed his temples, shaking his head. He needed to get some sleep. So after a few hands full of water, the teen set of again. He now followed a river, that went straight in between the two peaks. He ignored the base full of monsters just in front of it and also the small group in between, on the other side of the river. Lloyd learned that if you go well enough out of their way, they would just leave you alone. That was pretty much the same in his world.

Coming out of the shadow of the peaks (the sun had come up at this point), a building was very clear to see on the plains. It looked like it was shaped after a horse's head.

Directly to the left though, there was another shrine. Lloyd had spotted one in the peaks as well, but he decided to ignore it. He didn't know how necessary these things were, so he'd rather not waste his time on it.

Seeing some people around, brought a smile on the teens face. There was life here still. It gave him some relief. This world wasn't lost yet, life was still going on. How the people themselves looked at this, that was still unclear.

"Good morning, traveler." A girl that was tending to the horses, next to the wooden building, came up to Lloyd and smiled warmly at him.

"Ah, morning." He nodded to her.

"Are you here to take a rest? If you like, I have some soup ready."

The sound of his belly rumbling was loud. The girl laughed. "My, I will take that as a yes. Have a seat."

She gestured toward the stool standing by the cooking pot, boiling above a fire. It was pretty nice out, not to warm, not to cold. So Lloyd took a seat. The girl pored the hot soup into a bowl and handed it to him.

"If you would like to sleep here, you can go inside of the stable. The owner will help you to a bed. It is forty Rupees for a night."

What are Rupees, Lloyd almost wanted to ask. Luckily he stopped himself in time. Questions like that would certainly raise eyebrows and the king had warned about it. Certainly for good reason.

"How does one get those?" He instead asked. "I'm kind of broke, you see."

"Ah, I hear that a lot. But travelers much like yourself pick up all kinds of things along the way. And Beedle will buy anything of you. He just went down that road."

The girl pointed to the left. The road was a fork just in front of the horse and of course Lloyd had no clue where he needed to go. He would have to see the map for that. But first he really needed a real bed, and a real good rest.

For that though, he needed to walk, yet again. With a sigh, Lloyd finished his soup and handed the bowl back to the girl.

"Do I owe you anything for that?"

"No, that is on the house." She smiled at him.

Nodding in thanks, the teen stood up. His eyes looked down the road the girl had pointed at. At first glance, no person was in sight.

Nothing to it. Lloyd followed the road, the sun rising to its highest point in the main time. A person was waving him down, close to the road.

"Traveler, please. I need some help!"

The word traveler seemed commonly used here, Lloyd noticed. But of course, helpful as he was, he walked toward this stranger. Being close enough, his eyes went to the slate on the teens hip.

"Where.. how? Give that to me!"

A cloud of smoke obscured vision for a little bit. Suddenly a whole different person was standing before Lloyd. He was in all red, except for the mask that covered his whole face. This was white with the same symbol that was on the Sheikah Slate, but then upside down and also in red.

Again, the teen thanked his reflexes. He was able to block an attack of a very curved sword, aimed at his gut. The masked man, jumped back and suddenly went up in smoke. A laugh sounded and he appeared again, now to Lloyd's right. He was armed with a bow this time and shot two arrows at the teen.

Able to block one with his weapon, Lloyd expected to feel the second one pierce his skin. But before he knew it, a figure was in front of him and hit away the arrow. This person was wrapped in rags, covering most of the face and head. All that could be seen were a pair of imposing red eyes.

"Back off, Yiga! You are outnumbered." A female voice sounded from behind the rags.

The so called Yiga growled angry. "You damn Sheikah, get out of my way!"

"Unless you want to die, I advise you to disappear." The woman responded coldly.

Shaking his head, the Yiga stepped back. "You will regret this." After this, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

With a sigh, the woman turned around to face Lloyd. She pulled away the rags, so that her face and hair was revealed. Her hair was pale, white as snow, and pretty short. It gave her a stern look. Her face was tanned. But what still stood out were her bright, red eyes.

"You shouldn't be walking around with that," she commented, looking at the slate. "Even as a joke, it is very foolish."

"A joke?" Lloyd was confused by the comment. Oh right. He wasn't the hero, very clearly so.

The woman frowned and studied him for a moment. "Don't tell me it's real. That's not possible. If so…" Her hand stretched out to hold a sharp dagger just under Lloyd's chin.

The teen held up his hands immediately, dropping his own weapon to the ground. "I don't want any trouble. I don't know why I got this, I just do. It give me all kinds of things, but not really what I need." To go home, he added in thought.

"Proof it. Show me it works."

"Oh. Alright."

That was simple enough. Slowly and carefully Lloyd took the slate in his hands. He made his moves very deliberate, so that the woman could see it all. He knew if he did one wrong move, it was off with his head.

He showed how it reacted to his touch, showing what he had of the map. When the woman tried to, it didn't react to her touch at all. A deep frown appeared on her face, while she studied Lloyd yet again.

"Who are you, how did this happen?"

"Uhm…" The king did say that these so called Sheikah were safe. But he didn't know what a Sheikah was, so how could he trust this woman?

Well, the cold steel under his chin sure 'encouraged' well enough. He just had to go for it, and so he told her everything, warning her that it was a little crazy, but all true.

The Sheikah 's frown changed to confusion and then just outright shock. The mention of the king's spirit had that effect. It made her lower her weapon, so Lloyd could finally relax a bit. Of course, he would still be wary.

"You…really are serious, aren't you?"

"Sadly, yeah."

"From another world. How is that even possible?" It was clear the woman couldn't really wrap her head around it. That was very recognizable.

"In this case, I am not to sure." Lloyd rubbed his Exsphere for a moment. It was a habit he had, something he did when he felt awkward or out of place.

"What is _that_?" Her red eyes were fixed on the blue stone, that seemed to be set in the teens hand.

"Oh…It's an Exsphere. It kind of gives you support. In my case, it helps me fight, give me certain techniques. But for that, a certain resource is also needed, and this world clearly doesn't have that."

"I need to hear more."

"I am a bit tired." Lloyd rather not admit this, but the fatigue was really getting to him. He could barely keep standing up.

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry. Let's go to the stable, so you can have some rest. My name is Vera, by the way."

"I'm Lloyd." He went for a handshake, but instead, she grabbed his wrist. A kind of handshake he was less familiar with, but one he would need to keep in mind.

Together, they walked back towards the wooden, horse head shaped building. Luckily it wasn't that far. Lloyd could swear he heard a bed call for him. To his surprise, Vera arranged one for him, and payed in what looked like different colored hexagonal shaped jewels.

But, his eyes set on the appointed bed, and the teen walked to it, to drop in the nice mattress face first. He didn't even bother with his clothes, or the blanket. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.

Vera eyed him for a bit, then looked out of the stable into the distance. She wished she would have been more aggressive toward the Yiga. It was certain he was going back to his master to tell him about Lloyd, which would bring him in more danger. She should have _killed_ him.


	6. Info & fluff

_This is more of a info/fluff thing. Not official chapter, just something extra in between._

* * *

Dirk was leaning back against a chair, while he was watching the blond haired teenage girl pace around in his house. The worry was very readable in her face. But the dwarf just shook his head.

"You shouldn't worry, lass. Lloyd just went out for a bit. He'll come back."

"But it has been two nights. Isn't that weird? Didn't he say anything, where he would go?"

Colette folded her hands before her chest, hopefully looking down at Dirk. She didn't want to be disrespectful to him, but she did very much care for Lloyd, and for his safety.

The dwarf shook his head again and then shrugged. "If he got into trouble, Noishe would have been gone after 'm already."

Through the window, the so called dog's big ears were clear to see. He was just sleeping under it, not a care in the world.

"I don't know, it just doesn't feel right." Colette looked down at the ground.

She didn't know what to do. Where to start searching, or just to wait and hope for the best. But she had this feeling, a pit in her stomach, that something was off. And the girl wouldn't know what she'd do if something were to happen to Lloyd. He did so much for her, it really did make her wonder… But he never said anything.

"Just wait a bit more, lass. If he isn't back soon, we'll search for him, all of is. I promise yah." Dirk took her hand for a moment to comfort her.

Colette could do nothing else but nod and thank him for the talk. With a sigh, she left the dwarfs house and walked over to Noishe. The dog was still at ease, lying in the nice morning sun light. His tail started wagging when she petted him on the head.

"You're not worried, are you Noishe?"

The dog looked up and whined. Of course, she couldn't know what that meant, but at least petting the creature calmed her down for a bit. Maybe she was worried over nothing. That's what she sincerely hoped at least.

Noishe nuzzled next to her, his warmth making the girl calm down even more. Colette smiled a little, closed her eyes and turned her face towards the warm rays of the sun.

 _Stay safe Lloyd, where ever you are. And please come back soon,_ she prayed in her thoughts.

* * *

Lloyd was roughly shaken out of his sleep. Rubbing his eyes he tried to see who so rudely woke him. Was it Raine, being impatient? Or was it Sheena, teasing him? Couldn't be Presea, she wouldn't care, and just let him sleep. And Colette wouldn't dare, would never be so rude.

When the teen saw a pretty new face to him, reality set in. Somehow, he was still hoping this was all just a real long, bad dream. Why he'd dream something like this, he didn't know. His imagination wasn't _that_ crazy.

"You were almost yelling in your sleep," Vera said more matter-of-factually than worried.

"I was?" The teen rubbed his head while he sat up in the bed. He couldn't remember what he was dreaming of. What could he even be yelling about?

"What time is it?" he then asked the Sheikah.

"Around six p.m. They've made stew if you are hungry."

Vera gestured outside and already walked that way, not waiting for him. Lloyd 's mouth changed into a thin line. Her attitude reminded him of a certain someone…

Shaking his head, the teen stood up and stretched. He still had a good sleep, regardless of the bad dream he apparently had. Lloyd walked outside, where the sun was getting to a very low point. But the temperature was still fine.

A couple of people were sitting around the steaming cooking put, which the stable girl was tending to. There was a fairly young couple that claimed they were traveling around to find a nice place to settle down.

Next to them, was a traveling merchant, much like the one Lloyd had ran into when he was walking towards the stable. He said that business was alright, even if he had to travel everywhere, he didn't really mind.

It did mean seeing a lot of the land, and the people in it. But also there was a lot of danger involved. The merchant wasn't really equipped to fight the monsters.

"So what do you do if you run into them?" Lloyd wanted to know.

"Run away. If I'm really in trouble, I get saved by the good Sheikah." The man looked toward Vera and nodded thankfully toward her.

"Is that what you all do?" Lloyd followed suit.

"Kind of." Vera nodded. "We used to be the elite for the royal family. Sworn to protect them, even after death. We hide in the shadows, ready to strike down any one or anything that would dare to threaten them. But since we can't really do that any more, we devote ourselves to protect the citizens now."

"For which we are very thankful." The stable girl added. Everyone nodded in agreement.

It was pretty admiring, Lloyd had to admit. Vera seemed a bit tough, but maybe that was just part of her training. It kind of reminded him of the ninja's in Sheena's village.

Sheena herself was kind of a different story. Well, she was tough at the start, but when they got to know her, she really had a heart a gold. Her sort of rivalry with Zelos was funny to watch. Maybe Vera was the same way.

Most of the talk that followed were about things that Lloyd had no real insight on. So he just listened, trying to make sense of it, and not look to confused while doing this. When it got dark, the couple and the merchant went inside the stable. The stable girl went back to tending the horses.

It was still nice and warm at the campfire, so Lloyd didn't really see a reason to go inside yet. Vera seemed to think likewise. She went to sit across from him, her strange, red colored eyes observing him again.

"So who is Kratos?"

The question came out of nowhere. Lloyd's eyes widened, looking at the young woman in shock.

"You said that name several times in your sleep," she explained coolly.

"Ah…I see." His eyes fixed on the ground. Why did he dream of _him_? And why couldn't he remember this?

"I suppose this is too personal. Never mind then."

"I mean, not really. Kratos is my biological father. He only came into the picture about a year ago. And starting off, he didn't even say anything. I had to hear it from someone else." It still frustrated Lloyd, that was clear by the way he clenched his fist.

"Why wouldn't he say anything, if he was around you?" Vera couldn't understand this, of course.

But the teen didn't really have the answer to that. He had _a lot_ of questions for Kratos, which he never really got the answers to. The man just decided to leave him again in the end. Lloyd didn't take to time to think about this, to process this.

"Let's talk about something else. What do you know about this world?" The Sheikah seemed to be aware of his state, and tactfully changed the subject.

"Not that much. Only about the legend that the king told me. I'd like to know what kind of people life here, and what kind of monsters."

Vera nodded. "Understandable. Well, the people you just talked with, are simply called Hylians, the lets say 'normal' people."

"But they have pointy ears. I thought they were elves."

"What are elves?" The Sheikah just frowned.

"Uh…never mind. Please, continue."

"I already told you about us. As you can see, we Sheikah can be recognized by our eye color."

"And what about that guy that attacked me?"

She made a hate filled sound. "They are Yiga, traitors of our tribe. They foolishly chose to side with Ganon."

"Do you know why?"

A shrug was the answer. "It doesn't really matter to me. Traitors are traitors. Anyway, the only other human like people are the Gerudo. The Gerudo are mainly known as a race of thieves. They live in a harsh desert. The climate of the desert has made the Gerudo tough and resourceful. They are warriors by reputation, feared and respected everywhere they go. For some reason, the race consists almost solely of females."

That was certainly interesting, and strange. This world was already turning out to be much different from his own.

"Then you have the Zoras. They are an aquatic folk who possess fish and amphibian like traits, like fins, webbed feet and gills. They mainly live on and around water because of that. Zoras can come in many shapes and sizes, but are most are humanoids with long tail fins on their heads and finned appendages on their arms and legs."

Lloyd frowned, trying to picture this. A human, but then a fish. His imagination wasn't that great, he could only think of abominations. Hopefully they weren't _that_.

"To the other side, you have the Rito. They are people who possess avian features, including wings which give them the ability of flight."

"Wait, you mean they are big birds? Like harpies?"

"I do not know what harpies are."

"We know them as monsters. Birdlike creatures with a human face. They are rather small."

"Rito are pretty big, when they reach adulthood. But they don't have a human face. It's all feathers and a beak. They come in different colors and in a small variation of species."

This was surely interesting. And good for Lloyd to know that they were friendly. If he had seen something like that fly around, it was very possible he would have shot an arrow at that. But he had to keep in mind this was another world. The things he knew didn't apply to this place.

"Lastly, we got the Gorons, who live over there." Vera pointed towards the volcano, which was still very prominent. "A race of rock people. Yes, they are made of literal rock. That's why they live mostly in the mountains. The heat of the volcano doesn't effect them. They also are big, and very strong. Even though they are though, they are good people."

"I take it that goes for all of them?"

Vera nodded. "Except of course for the Yiga and some rotten apples. You still got to be careful."

Didn't that always apply, Lloyd kind of wondered. He was still trying to picture the different kinds of people that walked around in this world. It was certainly very different. But luckily, he didn't hear mention of Angels.

"But I want to know more about your world as well. Tell me about the people there. Did you have friends? What are the monsters like?"

There was an unexpected interest and enthusiasm coming from the Sheikah.

"The monsters? Oh, we got so many, I wouldn't know where to start. All I have seen here are those red guys and the crazy Guardians."

"We do have lots of variations of the same kind of monsters. Different colors, which mostly are stronger and tougher."

"Well, I think we can continue this tomorrow." Lloyd yawned. It was getting late. It was already dark, stars lighting the sky beautifully.

"You will need your rest. Tomorrow morning you have to go catch a wild horse."

"Uh, seriously?" But judging by the serious face Vera put up, she wasn't kidding.

"A horse is much faster than going on foot. All the horses here are owned, all tamed by people."

Problem was that Lloyd wasn't used to horses. All he had ever ridden was Noishe, the big dog. His height didn't even come close to that of a horse. The teen never really made much fuss about how short he was, he was fine with it.

Horses were a _lot_ bigger. He wasn't afraid of them, but taming a wild one was a whole other story. Why would a big animal submit to someone as short as him?

"I'm sure you'll be fine. You can always ask the stable girl for tips." Vera said while she stood up.

Lloyd could do nothing else but nod and followed suit when the Sheikah started walking towards the stable.

"I don't mind paying for the bed, but the saddle is a bit more expensive. So you will have to come up with the rupees for that yourself."

"I was told I could sell some stuff to someone called Beedle. That's who I was looking for when I ran into that Yiga."

"He mostly is around in the morning. Oh, and now."

She pointed to a man, sitting on the floor, across from where they came in. He was a small, slender guy. And he looked even smaller because of the massive backpack he had on. The man was busy writing on a paper.

Lloyd approached him. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, a costumer. Welcome!" he said with a high, enthusiastic voice. The man whipped up a small wooden counter in front of him. "I am Beedle. Are you interested in buying something? I have arrows, frogs, insects…"

"Uhm, I am here to sell actually." Lloyd frowned at the mention of frogs and insects. How was there a market for that?

"Aha! I buy just about anything. What do you have?" Beedle rubbed his hands together, eager to see what this teenager had.

"I suppose I got this." An orange colored, rough stone was pulled out of the bag. Lloyd found this in a chest, right after he had defeated a couple of monsters.

"Rough amber. Very nice, indeed! I can give you thirty Rupees for it."

"Only thirty?" Lloyd was a bit disappointed by this. He tried to see what else had in his bag, putting some things aside in the process.

"Oeh, that bug! That's a rare one. Let me have it. I can give you a nice elixir for it in return." The salesman seemed to be very enthusiastic about it.

"I just need the rupees. How about two hundred?"

"That's a bit too much. I can do 150."

"Sure, deal." Lloyd didn't even know why he took that bug in the first place. So he had no trouble parting with it. At the very least now he had some funds.

Vera had already settled on a bed, and seemed to be ready to sleep. So the teen went to his own, he still had the one from the afternoon. And he didn't really mind taking of his clothes in the pretty open concept of the stable. Most inns in his world were the same way, sharing your room with several others. The only difference was that mostly he shared it with his friends.

Thinking of that, made things a bit more awkward. But of course no one even bats an eye. Most were already sleeping or in bed. And the owner was doing his own business.

Lloyd went to lie down, covering himself up with the warm, thick blankets. Above his head was a tarp of a faded red color.

Of course, I can't get to sleep easily now, Lloyd scoffed to himself. There's too much on my mind and I'm not dead tired this time. 'Sides, I don't want to have another bad dream. But what was it about? I was I calling for Kratos, of _all_ people?

The teen shook his head, he couldn't remember so there was little point clinging on to it. Still, with all these thoughts on his mind, it would be very hard to get the still much-needed sleep. So he needed to think of something else, something that would calm them and give him a nice dream.

He didn't have to think long of what might help. Lloyd knew _exactly_ what would calm him down. Colette's singing always did do wonders to him. So he closed his eyes and imagined lying on the grass while she sang her (and his) favorite song. A smile went across his face, but he still felt pain in his heart when he drifted of to sleep.


	7. Chapter 6

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

"Would you wake up?"

The voice sounded slightly annoyed. A hand was shaking Lloyd at the shoulder. When he finally opened his eyes, he stared right into a pair of red eyes. That surely woke him right up.

Vera straightened herself up and looked down on him with a frown. "You are a really deep sleeper aren't you?"

"Kind of." The teen yawned and set up, stretching out.

"Get dressed." Vera turned her back and left soon after.

My, ain't she miss sunshine, Lloyd thought to himself. But he decided to ignore it. His clothes he had left neatly folded up on the small stand next to the bed. Man, I miss my old get up. But this will have to do.

The teen almost felt weird not wearing red. The boring colors he was stuck with now, wasn't his taste at all. Hopefully he will find something that would fit him more.

Once dressed, Lloyd walked outside, after the Sheikah. She and a couple of other people (some from yesterday, some new) were seated at the cooking pot, while the stable girl gave them all a bowl.

"Morning. What's for breakfast?" He lazily ran a hand through his hair. It was naturally wild, but that didn't mean it was in bad shape.

"Oatmeal. Warm that is. Here you go." With a kind smile, the girl gave him a bowl.

The food wasn't much different here then. Lloyd was happy with that. No weird, foreign things. He sat on a stool and ladled the oatmeal.

"So what was this about getting a wild horse?" He asked Vera.

"Like I said, you will need it if you want to go anywhere. This is a big place, a horse is a lot faster. I already got one. Tamed her personally. The wild horses here aren't that hard to tame."

The Sheikah nodded towards the right of them. There was a pretty open field, and then some trees. In between them, stood four horses. They were calmly grazing.

"They are still wild, though. The trick is to sneak as close as possible and then get on."

Easier said then done, Lloyd thought, looking at the horses in the distance. I'm used to riding a big dog. Noishe doesn't even get close to a horse. Maybe just about half way.

Normally, the teen was just fine with his hight. He knew he was short for his age, but he wasn't a grown up yet. Looking at Kratos, he could get pretty tall. Secretly, he did hope for that. Hight was something necessary for riding a horse, mostly long legs. He didn't have any of that.

"Are you done with breakfast?" Vera asked, cutting through his thoughts.

"Uh yeah." The teen gave the bowl back to the stable girl. "Sure I don't owe you for the food?"

"No, it's included. We can't ask to much, you see. People are poor as is. That is why we do not ask much for beds. The food just comes with it."

"How very considerate of you."

"Here, take some of these." She gave him a couple of red apples. "It will help you with taming a horse."

"Thank you very much."

At least, the people are nice here. Well, for the most part. The Yiga was something else. And Vera, she was hard to gage. Maybe just some one who needs to warm up to you, before they open up.

The two of them, walked closer towards the horses, grazing in between the trees. It would help Lloyd out a bit, in terms of having cover. They stopped a few feet away from them, behind a large bush.

"Pick one first." Vera whispered to him.

The teen looked at the animals, mostly just looking for the smallest one. It was brown, with white spots near its hooves and on its nose.

"Alright. Now try to sneak up to it."

Sneaking wasn't really Lloyd's strong suit. And that showed. The horses were quick to run away. They didn't go very far, so he could try again. And again, and again.

Vera was watching this from a small distance. She had to admit; the teen didn't give up quick. Maybe because he was hopeful, or just very stubborn. She almost applauded him when he finally got up the horse...and was thrown of right away.

It became clear very fast, that it was shear stubbornness what kept this boy going. He kept on trying, which Vera could command him for. But it also looked kind of painful, and almost funny. By the Gods, when was the last time she had really smiled?

That smile became really apparent when Lloyd finally managed to stay on the horse and calmed it down enough to listen to him. The apples he had gotten from the stable girl really helped the situation. And he was surprised to see Vera smile when he came to her on the horse's back.

"I did well, didn't I?"

"Well, eventually." It was hard for her to hold back a chuckle. With a hand she stroked the animal. "You have caught a mare. Do you have a name for her?"

"A name?"

"You will ride her for a good while, you know."

"Oh, yeah. I suppose you're right." Lloyd twisted his face in deep thought.

"Think about it while we go back to the stable to get you a saddle."

Vera lead the horse mostly with her hand, because she knew that the teen on it had no real clue how to handle her. She will have to give him a really quick course.

Meanwhile, Lloyd was crunching his head to think of a good name. His mind went to the names he knew, friends, acquaintances, and even the names Colette always gave to all the dogs she saw in every city. Still, he came to a very simple, yet good name. At least, that's how the teen saw it.

"Cora. That's her name." He came to it, while thinking of Corrine. Yes, that was a fox, but it was the thought that counted.

"It is nice." Vera nodded in approval.

They came back to the stable, where the owner and the stable girl happily helped him with a saddle and a bridle bit. It did cost Lloyd one hundred rupees, but then again, he would be set. If he would came across any other stables, he could let Cora rest there for free.

The nice stable girl gave the two of them some food for on the road. Food that could be kept for a long time and needed to be cooked first for the most part.

Vera's horse was light brown on the front and white at the back. She had called her Erin. At that point she gave Lloyd some pointers how the handle his horse. It wasn't that hard, not much different then riding Noishe. Only he had a bit more 'resources' for control.

"I need to make a stop at a shrine up ahead. It only a little out of the way, we have to go east for a bit in stead of north."

"Alright, if you say so." Lloyd could not really protest. He was happy enough to have some company and some one who knew the way.

And so the two of them set out, riding next to each other on the road. "So, tell me about your world now. Did you have different races?" Vera asked.

"I already mentioned elves. They look a lot like the people here, with pointed ears. They can get very old and think themselves as a higher species. So we don't have much contact with them."

"Kind of understandable. We don't really have that here. All of us can life with each other. I suppose we Sheikah are the nomads, keeping to ourselves mostly."

"But you also help people. You save them from the monsters."

Vera nodded, looking out ahead. "We try to."

"That's about all you can do. Hm, let's see. We also have half-elves. They are mostly hated, a lot of people see them as tainted blood, think that they don't belong anywhere."

"That is pretty harsh."

"Yeah, there was a whole war about it. Discrimination is a very bad thing, it tears people apart who are all part of the same world."

"I am glad we never really had _that_ kind of problems. We all unite against Ganon. Sure, we have our differences, but like you said, we all life in the same world. We have to make it work."

Lloyd was the one who nodded now. As the Sheikah had said, they followed a road towards the east, while the other went on straight ahead. Said shrine could already be seen.

"We have Katz as well. They are literal cat people, small and mostly seen as cute."

She frowned at this, probably trying to imagine how this would look like.

"The man who raised me is a dwarf. They are pretty small people, but very strong, resilient. And very good at blacksmithing. We also have spirits. They poses mostly elemental powers, and are tied to the planet's mana."

Of course, this only got a questioning look from Vera. Lloyd just shook his head; it was so hard to explain.

"Oh…and we have Angels." He said it with a certain poison.

"We do not really have them, but that is how our Gods are mostly pictured. But how come do you resent them?"

"Very bad experience with them. Angels and variations of them, half human or half elf. They were behind a very evil scheme. It's to long of a story to really go into."

While he said this, Lloyd rubbed his Exsphere. It was a certain guilt he was feeling. That he was still wearing it, even after everything he had learned about these things. But it was also a part of his mother, that he had with him. It was really hard to get rid of it when he thought of that.

"Very well. We are here."

They stopped their horses, right in front of the shrine. Vera looked at it's orange glow for a moment and then her gaze went over to Lloyd.

"The slate works with these, right?"

"Yeah. Why, do you need to get in here?"

"Not really. I'm just a bit curious how it looks on the inside. But I do not want to waste time."

"I appreciate that. It's just a big room far under ground. And it involves puzzles. At the end, there is a mummy that calls itself a monk and gives you a so called spirit orb."

"Monks, huh? Those were a part of the Sheikah tribe. Devoted to Hylia, praying to her for most of the day."

Still, having to wait for so long in a place like that. She couldn't imagine how rough this was. Lloyd thought the same thing funny enough. But he also added that if _he_ came they would be very much disappointed.

"Who are you waiting for?" Lloyd asked after a short silence.

"A man who asked for some materials. We normally don't do delivery, but since we are so close."

The teen nodded in understanding. Behind the shrine was a wall of rock that went up into a mountain range. And above that…Lloyd blinked once, twice, a couple of times.

"What in Martel's name is that?"

"I do not know who this Martel is, but you should try not saying something like that around the people of this land." Vera looked toward where the teen was looking. "Oh, that is just a dragon."

The way the Sheikah said it so casually, made him look at her for a moment, before looking back again. The creature was _long_ , unlike anything he has ever seen. It seemed to be almost glowing in a color scheme that was close to that of the mountains beneath it.

"They are peaceful. Mostly they just soar around. It's actually quite a pretty sight."

"I suppose. We only know dragons who are big and bulky, and very dangerous."

"We only know of three. And they don't hurt a fly, not by themselves. They do all bring along a sort of weather condition, but we know how to deal with it."

For where they were standing, this was very hard to see. So Lloyd had to ask: "What kind of weather conditions?"

"The cold, strong winds and lightning. It is sort of their element. They can't really help it, so we learn to work with it."

"That's the right way to handle it." Lloyd nodded in approval. "We can't really do that with the monsters. They are just wild, dangerous. Some are even poisonous."

It was Vera's turn to look at Lloyd. She tried to see if he was kidding, but his face was pretty serious.

"That is harsh. How do you keep them at bay?"

"Mostly just fighting them. These help a lot." The teen touched his Exsphere for a moment.

Of course Vera wanted to know more. But they were interrupted by a man, who was there for her materials. She passed him a bag and he gave her a couple of rupees. He wanted the latest news, so Vera gave it to him.

Lloyd looked back up at the dragon, which was still drifting above the mountains, calm and quiet. It really was beautiful.

Even though this world was in not that good of a state, it seemed it wasn't as full of danger as his own. Sure, there were monsters around, but not even close to the amount that Lloyd was used too.

Finally, Vera turned to Lloyd. "Alright, I am done. We can move on to the village."

"You said it was just up ahead, right?" The teen looked back to the road, that went into the mountains. "Your village is in a valley?"

"That is right," the Sheikah nodded, after she mounted her horse.

Lloyd quickly followed suit, still getting used to the whole ordeal. So he was far less graceful. He was thankful that he kept up in the saddle, he couldn't really wish for more.

"So tell me a little bit about your friends." Vera requested while they started to ride again.

"Ah, hm." Where to start? He supposed it didn't really matter. "Well, you kind of remind me of Sheena. She is a ninja, trained in fighting and sneaking. But she is a bit clumsy about it. Luckily she does put up a good fight and she is a great summoner."

"A summoner?" Vera frowned while she looked at the teen. "Like, calling in dangerous creatures?" The only thing she could compare with it was Ganon and the things that come from the malice.

For a moment, Lloyd had to think about this. "I mean, it depends on how you see things. They can be dangerous. But they do her bidding and always help us out. It are spirits and I don't believe those are… Hmn."

Volt sprang to mind, it made him stop mid sentence. Then again, it was all just a misunderstanding. Which killed people. Lloyd shook his head. It was hard to rectify, to explain. He could barely do that for himself.

"Anyway, another girl I'm friends with is Presea. She is pretty small, but tough. Can work an ax like no other really. She had to go through a lot and I admire how she did it."

"Did she lose people close to her?"

Lloyd nodded sadly. "Family even. She had no one left."

"That goes for a lot of people here."

It was the way Vera said it, that made him look to her with a studying look. It almost sounded cold, like the young woman didn't really care. Or maybe it was just so _normal_ that it didn't really hit home as much.

It was sad, to say the least. All the pain and suffering. It has been so much that it was seen as such, just normal. A lot of people who shared the same fate. On the other hand, that meant there were a lot who knew the pain, a lot you could talk to.

He took a moment to clear his throat before he continued. "Then there is Raine, the professor. She was our teacher, not only back home but also on our journey."

"You went on a journey?"

"Yeah, but that's a long story. And it's pretty complicated. She is a half-elf, together with her younger brother and my best friend, Genis. He is so smart, that he was in the same class, even though he's a few years younger than me. Raine was our healer and he specialized in elemental magic."

Vera 's eyebrow rose up. "Magic is something we do not really know here. Only a select few know a bit of it. And those who use it, mostly use an item or artifact."

"Hm, I suppose they do use items to help with the magic. But I do believe magic is born within them."

"Interesting." The Sheikah nodded, looking ahead. They were getting close to the mountains and thus the village.

"There is also Regal. When we met him, he was a prisoner. But he turned out to be a pretty high placed noble man. President of a big business."

Lloyd didn't expect her to understand this. This world seemed pretty behind on certain things. Well, he hasn't seen a town yet, but he doubted those would be advanced. It was strange. They did have technology like the slate. Why wouldn't they use this for more?

"And Zelos. He is sort of the charmer of the group. Also flirting with girls, thinks he can be friends with every one."

"It is almost like you do not like him," Vera remarked.

"It's pretty hard to hate him. But he did do some things we didn't appreciate. He even stabbed us in the back, betrayed us."

The Sheikah did not like the sound of this clearly. "You have forgiven him?"

"He made up for it in the end. And Sheena gave him proper punishment." Lloyd sniggered, thinking back to that moment.

It still seemed that Vera didn't understand this. But the teen decided not to dwell in it to much. Instead he continued.

"I already told you about Kratos a little bit. Him, Zelos and Colette have something special. Colette was the cause of this journey. All three of them have a set of glowing wings, and they can really fly with them. I have known Colette ever since we were little, we grew up in the same little village."

Vera studied him, the teen noticed. "What?"

"You talk differently about this girl. You smile more and the look in your eyes changes. Do you perhaps have feelings for her?"

Geez, is it that obvious, Lloyd thought, feeling his face getting hot. Maybe its more so because I'm so far away from her now. Now I realize what I am missing, what I haven't said, _should_ have said. I miss her smile, her sweet face, the sound of her voice. By Martel, I miss everything about her.

"Hopefully our chief can offer some help. We are here."

This was all Vera said before she stopped for an archway made of wood. On it was a sign with the village name: Kakariko Village.

* * *

At any given time, one side of Earth is bathed in sunlight while the other side is in the shadow, caused by the world blocking the sunlight. The central part of the shadow is called the umbra.

It was his favorite place to be. The dark, shadows, dusk, twilight, everything like that. He breathed it, lived for it. Would probably even die without it. Shade (he didn't really like the name Dark Link) had no real clue if this was the case. He wasn't made to think, but to act.

The moonlight bathed the oasis in a beautiful silver light. The small body of water in between the Bazaar reminiscently reflecting it. But he was not the type to just sit and take it all in. Hell, he couldn't sit still for so long.

There was work to be done. Well, work... it was something the shadow truly enjoyed doing. It was the second best thing in the world. First being a real nuisance to anyone who sees himself as a hero, thinks he can safe people, or the world. Oh, how he hated those kind of people.

Everyone was sleeping in their houses. Fools. Do they really think to be safe between some walls? Even _if_ there was some one watching from the high, rock tower, they wouldn't see a shadow in the dead of night.

But even though he liked it to not be seen, in this case it was different. Kohga wanted him to be seen, he made that much clear. Fine, Shade didn't care. As long as he could do what he likes, he wouldn't complain.

One survivor, that should be enough. One who ideally witnessed it all. Emerald red eyes looked around, quickly finding what they were looking for: a young girl, barely sixteen. Her scream probably woke up the whole Bazaar when she stared into a bright white, evil grin on a dark as night face.

It didn't take long for the girl to be a shaking, crying wreck. Her face was wet and eyes were red because of all the tears she had shed. She was tired because of it all, but that didn't keep her from kicking and screaming against the one who was doing all these horrible things.

Even now, when she was being dragged by her hair, over the tiles and through the rough sand. She still used all her energy to appose this shadow, this dark entity that so heartlessly destroyed everything around her, that was dear to her.

Surely, this thing that had the hero's face would finish her off now. But to her surprise, he did not. Instead, she was dropped at the edge of the Bazaar, facing toward Gerudo Town. There was a clear line for her to sprint towards it.

The girl didn't take time to think about it. Fight or flight instinct kicked in and she knew she would have no chance with the first choice. So she ran, on bare feet, as fast as she could. She was not really dressed well enough for the cold of the desert night, but the adrenaline and fear kept her going until she collapsed in front of the entrance. Luckily for her, the guards were kind enough to pick her up.

Shade watched it go down, sitting on one of the roofs of the now lifeless houses. The palm fruit he was eating tasted sweeter because of it. Or maybe it was just his own imagination. When he was done, he jumped down and started to walk passed the water, intending to leave the oases behind.

But for some reason, something close to the water drew the shadow's gaze. Was there something glowing there? It wasn't the water, neither its reflection. It was a bit to far for that. A certain curiosity peaked inside of him, as Shade stepped closer to investigate.

When he got close enough, he suddenly froze up. Something, deep in the back of his mind stirred and then forced itself in front of his very eyes.

There was a girl, with long blond hair, running away from a Yiga. Only to find herself being closed in by two more. The viewpoint changes. From higher up, to between the girl and the Yiga attacking her. A sword is swung against the one who was about to end her and the Yiga fell pretty easy. The other two, clearly intimidated, stepped back and ran off. The girl just looked up in admiration. At him.

The Bazaar slowly came back into view. The only thing breaking the silence, was the wind, blowing softly, picking up dust and sand. Shades blinked a couple of times and then shook his head. What the hell was that, just now? He quickly put his hand down, which was on his chest a moment ago.

No. Go back where you belong. It is my time now. No room for hero's here. You've been in charge long enough. And asleep for most of it!

Of course, it was quiet. Good. Shade turned his back to the Bazaar and started walking. He knew he wouldn't stand a chance at Gerudo Town, so his best bet was to get out of this desert. There weren't much places for him to hide anyway.

But there were still more then enough places out there. To cause the same kind of trauma he had inflicted here. Soon enough people will speak of a dark shadow, that has taken the place of their hero. He will make them believe he had fallen and that all hope is lost. That they might as well give up and let Ganon reign. A big grin went across his face just thinking about this.


	8. Chapter 7

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

The village sat mostly in the shade because of the mountains surrounding it. The sun was almost at its highest point, probably one of the few times it would get some real sunshine in this place. But that wasn't what Lloyd 's eyes (or better said, ears) noticed first, it were all the chickens there.

"What's with all the chickens?"

Vera looked confused for a moment. "Oh, we call them cuccos. But I know Cado calls them 'glorified chicken.' Some here take care of them."

"So it isn't a village full of ninjas?"

"There are many, but not all. Some chose a more peaceful life, we are free to do so. But that is not why we are here."

The Sheikah got of her horse and Lloyd followed suit. She took the rein of both the horses. With her free hand she pointed.

Lloyd turned to see where. It was a building, standing higher than all the others, stairs going up to it. Behind it, were several waterfalls poring down beautifully.

"Chief Impa can be found in there. I think you should speak to her alone first. I will make sure the horses will be content."

Nodding thankfully, he let Vera walk of with the horses. The village wasn't very big, but he still felt like a lot of eyes were on him when he walked towards the high building. To his surprise, two man were standing guard at the foot of the stairs.

Damn. This can be trouble. But Lloyd didn't want to turn back to get help. He has been enough of a burden for Vera already. Maybe just approaching it friendly would work.

The men immediately stood on edge when they were approached by this stranger, holding up a hand in greeting and kind of stupidly smiling.

"Good day."

"What do you want, stranger?" One of the guards holds up a spear, dangerously close to Lloyd.

Right away, the teen holds up both his hands disarmingly. "I have no ill intentions. I was just hoping to be able to speak to your chief."

"And you really think we'd let a stranger even come close to her?" The other guard asks, clearly on edge.

"Uh...well. It's pretty important?" Lloyd didn't really think when he was going to reach for the slate. The movement was of course not appreciated and both guards now pointed their spears at him.

"Woah there, easy."

"Um, e-e-excuse me?"

A young lady came up from behind, walking down the stairs. Her demeanor was very unsure, almost kind of nervous. Her hair was long, put up in an almost heart shaped bun up on her head and flowing down passed her shoulders. It seemed white hair and red eyes was a real trait of the Sheikah.

"W-what is g-going on h-here?" She stammered to the guards.

"This stranger thinks he can just walk in and talk to our chief."

"A-and s-s-since when are we not h-hospitable?"

"Paya, we do not know his intentions."

Suddenly, the girl yells and points in a direction. "Cuccos are escaping!"

"Oh no! Hurry, hurry!"

It looked kind of funny to see the two guards run off, still armed with their spears.

Lloyd turned toward the young Sheikah, hearing her laugh softly. When she notices him looking at her, she hid most of her face behind her hands right away.

"Thanks...for the help. But why did you?"

Shyly, Paya looked over her fingers towards him. "I-I-I just have the f-feeling you are here f-for a good reason."

Funny enough, her eyes rested on the place where he had reached a moment ago. Lloyd raised an eyebrow. It almost felt like she knew already the slate was there, without even seeing it.

"I'm Paya, Impa's p-personal assssistent."

Luckily Lloyd wasn't the type to laugh at personal flaws. "My name's Lloyd. Thank you again for your help."

Paya smiled shyly and nodded. She gestured him to follow and went back up the stairs. Lloyd followed quickly, hoping the guards will be detracted long enough.

The double door was not locked, so they easily got inside the big building. It was quiet inside, the smell of burning incense filling the air. Little lanterns lit everything up. In the middle, a couple of steps ahead, sat a very old woman, atop a pile of pillows.

She was small, but her look was intimidating nonetheless. Looking at Lloyd for a couple of seconds, then aiming her gaze towards Paya.

"What is the meaning of this, Paya?" Her voice cracked a little. Age was clearly seeping through.

"I-I'm sorry, grandmother. I just did w-what felt right." The girl almost seemed to be intimidated.

The old woman looked at Lloyd again, her eyes closely studied him. He already started to raise his hand for a greeting. She just narrowed her eyes at him, that made him stop this gesture.

"Come closer." It was clear by her tone, the old lady would not accept any resistance.

So Lloyd did as she asked, stepping just in front of her. A pair of wrinkled hands rose up.

"Give me your hands."

A little doubtful, Lloyd looked back at Paya for a moment. The girl just nodded to him with a small smile.

He just had to trust it was fine. It didn't feel like anything dangerous or painful was going to happen, so he put his hands upon hers.

Impa hummed a couple of times while closely studying the teens hands. Her index finger traced the lines, after that she turned his hands. Of course, her gaze fell directly on the jewel on the back of his left hand.

A certain curiosity seemed to light up in her eyes. Impa stroked the orb shaped object, noticing he kind of flinched at this.

"Does it hurt?" Her tone was of interest, not malice.

"Uh...no. I am just not really a fan of someone else touching it."

The old woman let his hands go and looked him straight in the eyes. "You have experienced a lot. This land where you hail from, what is it called?"

"Well, it's actually...Wait, how did you?"

Impa smiled an almost cheeky smile. "Hands tell your story for you. I have seen all. You are quite heroic, young man."

All Lloyd could do was laugh awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

"Please, show me the Sheikah Slate."

"Huh? Oh, right." He takes out the slate from under his clothing and reached it out to Impa.

Of course, she really could not work with it, but she could study it, which she did for a bit. After that, she gave it back to him.

"My sister knows a lot about this contraption. I do not know why you are able to work with it, or what brought you here in the first place. Maybe it was the doing of Hylia, to bring you here. My question is simple: do you want to go home, or stay here and help?"

Impa raised her finger, when Lloyd opened his mouth. "Do think about your answer. There is no wrong choice here. We can not fault you for wanting to go home. You are in a place you do not know. We can not expect you to take on all the responsibility."

At this, Lloyd went quiet. He really needed to think about this. With the king, he felt he was not left much of a choice. But Impa offered this back to him.

"You can stay at the inn and think about it. You will be our guest, of course. Paya, can you please show him the way?"

"Y-yes, grandmother." The young girl bowed deeply.

They were about to leave, after Lloyd bowed a bit more clumsy, when Impa called them to stop.

"I forgot to ask: who brought you here?"

So she didn't see everything. Strange. "Will she get into trouble if I say?" Lloyd asked softly.

The old woman smiled entertained. "Of course not. It's to thank her."

"Oh. In that case: her name is Vera. Oh, and I'm Lloyd Irving by the way."

"And I am Impa. Good to meet you, Lloyd." She nodded to him, still smiling.

Clearly content, but also still thinking, Lloyd left following Paya back down the stairs.

So he didn't see Impa 's smile faltered. A worrisome look taking place on her face. One of the guards came in right after.

"Chief, are you alright? We tried to stop him..."

"I am fine, dear. Do me a favor, will you? Fetch Vera for me. I would like to speak with her right away. And you can be assured that young man is not dangerous. He is allowed to walk around."

"Oh. I see. Of course, chief. Right away." The guard knew that arguing with her would end badly, so he just bowed to her and quickly left.

Just five minutes later, Vera came before her, sinking on one knee and bowing her head in utmost respect.

"Please rise, my child. I just want to thank you for taking care of the young man. You even saved him from a Yiga."

"Saved him, but I let the Yiga escape. I fear that was a grave mistake."

"Maybe, maybe not. We can not change what already has happened. We need to concentrate on what is next. We need to find out where Link was taken."

"You want to discuss this with me, chief? Shouldn't that be with someone higher ranked?"

"I just want to know your view on this all. Do you think he will go back home?"

"It is hard to say. The way he talks about it, there is a good chance he will. But you saw the other side, I am guessing?"

Impa nodded. "He is loyal, and has a good heart. Maybe even to big for his own good. I do think he will chose to help us. And we will need that. We do not know where Link was taken."

"I could take a good guess."

"Of course, we all can. But we also know the Yiga are not fools. They will not keep him in one place. We will have to set up a search, throughout the whole land I'm afraid."

"We have a lot of good contacts. We can always ask for help."

The chief shook her head. "We have to be careful who we trust with this information. We don't want the people to lose hope."

"Have you already made a plan?" Vera knew her chief well. She always thought ahead.

"All the Sheikah will search in as much places as possible. But you will join Lloyd. He does not know this world, he needs someone to guide him on his journey."

"And because I already know him a bit, I am the best candidate?"

Impa smiled a little, but it was a compassionate one. "I know you would rather join in the search. But yes, I do think that is for the best. For him to at least feel a bit safe."

Vera could do nothing else but nod. She really had no good argument against this. The chief had made up her mind.

"I will arrange the necessary supplies then. Was this all you wanted to discuss?"

"Yes. You can go, child. Thank you for your help."

The young Sheikah bowed towards Impa, where after she left. Impa had no doubt she would do a good job. She was just hoping Vera would develop a bit more while on this journey. She has always been a bit distant and not very compassionate. Maybe traveling with someone who is, will help.

Meanwhile, Paya was showing Lloyd around the small village. There was not that much to see, most of the houses were just that, houses. She pointed out the inn, a main store for arrows and such, a store for food and one for clothing.

The last one, she took him to, because it wasn't close to the others. Inside were a couple of mannequins, and for each of them a different part of the body was covered. The owner of the shop seemed very happy to see a new face.

"Please take your time to look around. If there is anything you want to ask, do not hesitate to address me."

Lloyd looked at the clothing that was being presented. This clearly was the traditional Sheikah clothing. He had seen many in the village wearing it. But most of the older people seemed to prefer a more casual look. Not so much bandages but more cloth.

"They are m-meant to help you be s-s-stealthy. C-camouflaging colors and dampening the n-noise you make."

It sure did sound very ninja style. And it looked much like it too. Sheena seemed to have a more robe like style. This was very tight and slim, which of course made sense.

"Yes, indeed. It could come in very handy if you are a traveler and want to avoid the monsters." The shop owner added hopeful.

"Sorry, but I don't really got the rupees for it."

The prices were pretty high. Maybe because the materials were hard to come by. He would have liked to have some new clothes. He has been wearing the same outfit for days now.

"L-let's move on." Paya offered softly.

Of course Lloyd just followed behind her again, leaving the shop. He did see how she still looked at him curiously. But every time he looked at the young woman, she turned her head shyly.

"I don't bite you know."

"Ah! I'm s-s-sorry."

"Don't be. That's just how you are. I'm not the kind of guy to be afraid of, or shy for. I'm just Lloyd. I'm not greater than you, I don't see myself as a hero. I'm just a person."

"But, you are from a d-different world. That already m-makes you s-special."

The teen shrugged at this. "I don't think so. You are the granddaughter of the chief, that should make you special. Right?"

Paya 's face turned red at this remark. "I-I could never l-live up to her."

"Who says you have to? You should be your own person. It's fine to have an example, but there is nothing wrong with adding your own personality."

"I w-wish I h-had a way with words like y-you."

The teen laughed for a moment. "I just say whatever comes to mind. It isn't always a good thing. I got in trouble for it many times."

"Thank you…" She smiled a little, before walking ahead again.

Together they walked up a hill that led towards a shrine. Behind that, a path went up between the mountains into a wooded area.

"If you follow this path you will find a f-fairy fountain. Do you k-know what fairies are?"

"Are pixies the same thing? Human like creatures with wings, about the size of a small child?"

Lloyd held up his hand to indicate the height, but Paya shook her head. "Fairies are very s-small, glowing orbs with wings. Rumor goes they grand re-rejuvenation. And t-that the fairy fountain they s-swarm around, holds a great fairy that can g-grand wishes."

"Huh, interesting little myth. You got more like that?"

"We have m-many. Are you h-hungry? We can eat and I can t-t-tell you more."

"Oh, yeah! That sounds good."

Lloyd hadn't eaten since breakfast and judging by the sun, it was later in the afternoon, passed lunchtime. He was also quite curious about the cooking style they had here. Maybe some places or people had different ways of preparing food.

While enjoying a very vegetable based lunch, he listened to the myths that were know around these parts. Lloyd did notice Vera going from shop to shop to gather supplies, but he didn't think much of it.

In the back of his mind, the teen was still thinking about the talk he had with Impa. It was still weird she had seen everything about it, just through his hands. It was magic, it just had to be.

Was it really a choice, a hard one at that? Lloyd wasn't the type to just turn his back on people who needed help. But his friends, his father, they would be missing him, be worried about his well-being. He had no clue if he could contact them.

Impa was already clear she could not really help with that. But her sister could. By the sound of it, this sister was not in the village. So travel will still be in order. Maybe he should take a bit more time to think it over. A good sleep would certainly help.

* * *

The Yiga was happy about the fact he had a very fast horse. Thanks to this, he was at the desert in record time. The rest of the way, he had to do with a sand seal. Still he couldn't really complain; he made it back to base in just about two days.

Surely Kohga would appreciate his devotion and the discovery he had made. Though he wasn't really sure what it meant. He had heard that fellow Yiga tried to get the slate, but failed. So how did this random guy get it? There were a lot of questions in his head, maybe master Kohga had some answers, though he doubted this.

The master was talking with a fellow Yiga. He heard him say something about a massacre and Kohga just chuckled, rubbing his hands. He was clearly in a good mood. Hopefully that would help his case.

"Master, a moment please? I have important news."

"Hm. Very well, we were done anyway. Thank you. I can not wait to hear more. You do know where he went, right?"

"Yes, of course sir. Tiaru is following him as we speak."

"Very good. You can go."

The Yiga bowed to his master and left. Kohga turned to the other. "And what news do you have?"

"I was at the stable right behind the Dueling Peaks, on the look out. I came across a guy, who was carrying the Sheikah Slate."

He got right to the point. He knew the master didn't like to hear whole stories. The man tilted his head at this. Probably the same kind of questions went through his head.

So, he continued to describe the guy in question to his master. Thinking about it, there was something off about him. But he couldn't really put his finger on what this was exactly.

Kohga crossed his arms, his masked faced directly looking at him. Oh-oh, he didn't like were this was going already.

"And why, pray tell, didn't you bring this guy with the Slate here?"

"Uh, I.. sir there was a Sheikah, who intervened…"

"You let yourself be chased about by a _Sheikah_?!" The anger in Kohga's voice gave the Yiga chills.

"I-it was two against one, m-master. I thought it would be wiser to inform you instead of risking wounds or death."

It was then, it appeared in his sight. The big ball made of iron with mean, sharp spikes and the glowing Yiga eye symbol right in the middle. If this thing came to stage, you _knew_ there was trouble.

It hovered behind Kohga, a little to his right. He did this so the Yiga would see it. It was a warning. A message saying: 'You messed up, and pissed me off.'

Just looking at him, he might not seem intimidating. He was out of shape, compared to all the Yiga around. But he was master for a reason. The magic resources he had, more than made up for all of it. Kohga was a force to be reckoned with, and the Yiga knew this all too well.

Stepping back, the Yiga raised his hands disarmingly. "Please, master. Have mercy."

"Your mission, above all, is to serve Ganon. You did something that could very well stop his rise. You must realize that."

"I-I didn't mean too…" In his fear, the Yiga forgot about the big hole in the middle of this place. Rumor was that this was a bottomless pit. And now, he had to time to find out. His scream faded until it was gone and all went quiet again.

No one even came to look. It was almost as if this was a normal thing that happened. That it was just accepted. Well, they knew what they signed up for. That was how Kohga saw it. Turning your back on everything and serving the very thing that would destroy this world. You couldn't really expect mercy in this environment.

With a sigh, Kohga let the iron ball disappear again. It was always a shame to lose a Yiga, of course. They were few in numbers already, sadly. That was why he was so happy with Dark Link. He could still smile at the report about the Bazaar. He was merciless, and did what Kohga hoped for.

But he wasn't all too comfortable to let him go lose so to say. He would still order his Yiga to keep an eye on the shadow. Just in case of falter. It was always possible, no matter how small the chance.

And now, there was yet another to worry about. Who was this guy, walking around with the Sheikah Slate like it was no big deal? He also had protection already, so the Sheikah knew. Big chance they'd know about their hero missing as well.

There was no doubt they would come to this base to investigate. And start looking for their hero. A lot was going on and he had the feeling he was mostly alone in this. The Yiga were too few in number and some clearly had the wrong level of morale.

If only Ganon was here. He'd know what to do. He'd give him what he needs. Now there was barely a way of communication. All because of that stupid princess.

What Kohga didn't realize, was that Ganon _had_ heard him. It was not often the leader of the Yiga clan used his magic, so it drew his attention. His mind went out to 'see' if he could catch something of what was going on.

So he was struggling. Ganon could not just give him more Yiga. He had no such power, sadly. And the monsters and malice were no real option. He knew there weren't intelligent enough to really be of help.

A real servant would be better. But his reach was limited, thanks to that annoying blond girl. Stretching out his mind was already difficult. Using his power was near impossible.

It seemed luck was on his side. There was a little opening, one he has almost missed. He had no clue where it let to, but he would take any opportunity he could get.

A powerful mind almost overpowered his own. Ganon was a little impressed and maybe even a bit intimidated, but he pushed that away. Something this powerful at his side might just be the thing he needed.


	9. Chapter 8

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

For those still reading this, sorry for the long wait. This story is taking a bit of a back burner, because of personal stuff going on. But I'm still writing it, don't worry! It will just take a bit long. Thank you for understanding and for reading! Xxx Asotte.

* * *

Time seemed to be just a concept, an idea. Nothing really seemed to pass on Derris-Kharlan. That was the thought, the ideal Yggdrasiel had been looking for. Being with Kratos, Yuan and Martel. And a good bunch of fairly mindless Angels.

Kratos never said what he thought of it. It wasn't his place to do so. He had the chance to be with his son. Even though it was just a short time, compared to the long life he has lived, he wouldn't trade it for anything.

The time with Anna and Lloyd, that was the best time of his life. The only time he really felt anything at all. Even if some of it was painful, and he had missed a lot of his son's life, he was still content.

Some choices he made weren't really his own. Not from his heart. Logic was what mostly drove him. Even when he got to make the choice: stay with his son or go with Mythos on Derris-Kharlan.

Lloyd didn't need him, he never really did. Kratos has seen him develop and grow. Has seen him be brave, sometimes maybe a bit to openhearted and good of faith. But he was strong, a good fighter. Kratos couldn't be prouder.

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice. At first it was faint, hard to make out. But then it became clear. And it was a voice he knew.

"Kratos, can you hear me? It's Colette…"

"Chosen. This is the first time you are praying to me."

He did tell her she could do so, if something came up. So it was a bit worrisome.

"Sorry for bothering you. It's just…I am worried."

Of course she said sorry right away. That was very much like the Chosen, or rather ex-Chosen. Kratos could hear the worry, even through her thoughts.

"You are not bothering me. What is it?"

"It's Lloyd. He has been missing for days now. It's not like him to just leave without a word. Dirk thinks he is just taking some time for himself. But he would have told me that, I am sure."

She clearly was rambling. He knew the two of them were close. Were they even more than Kratos initially thought?

"Are your senses telling you something, or is it just a feeling?" Was his rational reaction. He wasn't one to panic that quickly. Or at all, really.

Colette went quiet for a moment, probably not expecting this kind of response. "I suppose. Maybe I am overreacting. I am sorry…"

Another quiet set it, but this was because they both felt it. A disturbance in the air, a certain malice poking its head. It was not very strong, but still noticeable.

"What was that? I never felt anything like this." Colette let her thoughts be heard.

But Kratos did think the same thing. It made him stand up. Mythos undoubtedly felt it as well.

"I will get back to you."

It wasn't long before the man with long blond hair showed up, hovering just above the surface, his wings shining in different colors.

"You felt that as well, right?" Mythos looked at the brown haired man.

"Yes, sir. It was faint, though."

"I still want to know what it is. Go investigate it."

"As you wish, sir."

Kratos bowed to him. He knew better than to go against Mythos. If it would ease his mind, fine. He spread out his own colorful wings and set of, going towards the source of this malice.

Soaring over the plains of the world always felt good. The wind blowing through his hair, everything below looking so small, so insignificant. He could do this for a long time.

But there was work to do. There was still a while before he would get there, but he was determent to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

All things considered, Lloyd had an alright night. It took a long time before he got to sleep. A lot was on his mind. The main thing of course was what he was going to do. He already knew the answer in his heart. But he still had to convince his head. Logic said to go and find a way back home. His feelings said to help the people in trouble.

Lloyd wasn't Lloyd if he didn't help people. Genis knew that, Colette too. They would likely be disappointed in him if he would turn his back on the situation.

He'd have to ask Impa what was expected of him. What he could do to help out. So, after a long stretch and a yawn, Lloyd stood up and got dressed.

Again he noted he needed some new clothes. Maybe he could ask around for some second hands. Or just a wash of the current set he was wearing. It could certainly use that.

He strolled out of the inn, and was greeted by the sound of many roosters crowing loudly. The teen wasn't really used to this many of them, it was a little overwhelming. Well, it certainly wakes a person up.

Because of the mountains all around, the sun was not to be seen yet, but its orange light was already getting brighter. So it was early, but not the crack of dawn. People were already up and about, notably the elders.

Caring for the chickens (or cucco's) and horses, tending to some fields, normal stuff really. Being in this fairly serene village would almost make one think there was nothing wrong in this world. Lloyd did see a bit of the corruption, and the monsters, but it really didn't seem so bad.

But maybe he just hasn't seen anything yet. The Guardians were scary for sure. And the Divine Beast they keep mentioning, Lloyd still had to encounter them.

He caught glances of the people while he was walking towards the high building were Impa lived. Were they not that used to strangers? Were they on guard? The guards from yesterday sure seemed to give off this vibe.

They were at their place again, at the bottom of the stairs. But this time they just stepped aside. Lloyd suspected that their chief told them he was alright. So the teen just nodded politely to them and went up the stairs.

Paya was up on the platform surrounding the building, sweeping it and checking the planters, giving water where needed. When she saw Lloyd come up, she smiled and bowed (way to deep).

"G-goodmorning! Did you have a nice sleep?"

"Yeah, it was fine. Uh, you don't have to bow like that for me, you know? I'm just a guy." Feeling a bit awkward, Lloyd scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, s-sorry." She straightened herself immediately. "Are you here for Impa?"

"Uhu, is she up?"

"Yes. One moment." Paya knocked on the door and opened it, looking in. "L-Lloyd is here for you, chief."

"Lloyd! Please, come in."

Impa's voice was clear to hear. It was commendable, certainly for her age. Though Lloyd wouldn't dare to start guessing what her age was.

He walked in the room. The chief was on her pile of pillows once again, a small smile on her face.

"Were you able to sleep, dear?"

"Uh, eventually." Impa was clearly aware that the teen was mulling his options in his head.

"There is a lot to consider. I do understand that. What ever you choose, you should feel sure about it. There is no shame in choosing to leave. It also means going back home for you."

Lloyd looked at the ground for a moment. His mind was still going for the logical option. He wasn't home here, he didn't know the ordeals, dangers, all that kind of stuff. Best to just go back and let everyone know you are safe.

No. These people need help. And it is clear they are in to few of number to do it alone. If I can help in any way, I will.

The teen looked up from the ground and gave a firm nod toward Impa. "I will help you."

"Very commendable, Lloyd. I am very thankful, and am I sure others will be as well when they hear of this. I think it is in order to explain to you what you can do to help."

"Yeah, I've only heard the story from the king."

"Since you know the story already, I will tell you about the Divine Beasts. These will be your focus, you have the Slate, you are the only one that can enter them with that. The malice that Ganon has put inside of them, is what makes them act out. They are terrorizing the four domains. If you can get the malice out of them, that would free up the whole domain."

"How do I get this malice out? Do you know?"

"We only have a theory based on what we know of the Beasts. They have a control unit. We think that has been infected. We do believe the Slate can help with this problem, overwrite it so to say."

Lloyd frowned, getting out the Slate and looking at it. It was still a nice piece of technology, but it was also small. He wondered of this thing was really capable of such a thing. On the other hand, the thing could conjure up bombs.

"My sister know a lot more about this all, but sadly, she is not close by. Going out of your way for just some more information is a waste of time. I rather not taunt this. It has already been a hundred years, and the Malice is clearly getting stronger. We must stop it as soon as possible before it can really manifest itself."

The teen nodded to Impa's words. She knew best, he could only agree to what she was saying. It sounded logical.

"I also am not letting you go alone. You are alien to this world, so you will need guidance, in certain situations and to the places you will have to go."

"Oh, yeah that would be the smart thing to do. So who's joining me?"

"Vera seems to be the right choice, because you are already familiar with her. She is a skilled Sheikah, certainly for her age."

"I haven't seen much yet, I will take your word for it. Where do we go first?"

"The domain of the Rito, to the west. They are creatures capable of flight. After you help them with the Divine Beast, you can ask for their help in finding Link. That would surely speed things up. I might be old, but I a still got a good set of brains."

Impa laughed while tapping the side of her head with a finger. She had a pretty uplifting spirit, despite the dire situation. Lloyd couldn't help but smile at her.

"Vera is already gathering the necessary supplies. If you have need for anything, just say so. I will make sure you will get it."

Wait, didn't I see her doing this yesterday? Lloyd thought. Did they already figure I would help them out?

The chief smiled widely, sparse teeth showing. "Your heart is one of good intentions, young one. Its a good thing."

She had gauged that much from just looking at his hands. Lloyd unconsciously rubbed them together and stroked his Exsphere for a moment.

"Thank you..? Uh, oh yeah. I was wondering if I could get some new clothes?"

"Of course, not a problem. Show the people at the shops here this, and you will have whatever you need for free."

Impa reached in her pocket and gave him a piece of paper. It had the red eye symbol Lloyd had seen so much and a small signature in the corner.

"This symbol, what does it mean?" The teen wanted to know.

"It means all to us." The chief said with a mysterious tone. "Now, go get your clothes. If you are ready, please come by again."

Lloyd nodded towards her, raised a hand in greeting and left the building. He noticed Paya quickly (and clumsily) getting back to work and snickered to himself.

The long-sleeved, grey colored shirt with the Sheikah eye had little protection. Only some steal plates on the shoulders and around the rib cages. Around the underarms were wrappings, hardly real protection. The slick, long pants that went under this, were likewise. It was all for the sake of stealth, so the owner of the store told him.

While Lloyd was standing before the mirror, he looked at this new outfit. It was very colorless and tight, pretty much the opposite of what he was used to wearing. He felt alien. Of course, he was in a world he didn't belong, but it went beyond that. He felt alien to himself.

Fumbling with the wrappings around his lower arm, he walked back to the front of the store. He didn't take the whole set. There was something extra for in your hair, but Lloyd would _never_ cover up his wild manes.

"Let me help with that." To his surprise, Vera was in the store. She walked up to him and did the wrapping properly. After this, she took a step back and looked him over.

"Not bad. If you would bind your hair, you would be able to stealth around."

"Never." Lloyd said right away. He looked at the gloves. The left one was covering up his Exsphere. "Is it possible to tailor this?"

"What would you want to change?" The female shop keep asked, coming closer.

Lloyd took of the left glove, and pointed to the blue jewel on his hand. "Make a hole so that this is visible, please."

The shop keep frowned but of course did not protest. She did what he asked and even made it work nicely. Lloyd was very content with this.

"I have most of the supplies gathered. You want to have a look at the weapon shop?" Vera offered.

He wouldn't say no to that. So he followed her toward said shop. Weirdly enough it only sold arrows. Frowning, Lloyd looked at Vera for this.

"You just have to ask the shop keep. The more dangerous weapons are of course behind the counter. What would you like?"

"I am used to duel wielding. Two short swords is my go-to."

Both the shop keep and Vera frowned at this. The first spoke up. "Duel wielding isn't done much. We do not really have weapons that are made for it. This is the closest I can give you."

A pair of steel swords were put upon the counter. They were clearly meant for a combination of sword and shield, the blade being long.

"Daggers are the only real short blade I have." The shop keep added.

It will have to do, Lloyd thought. The rusty sword he had now was no good. He could finally trade it in for two better ones. Maybe some practice will make it work.

"How about a bow and arrows?" Vera asked.

"I am not that good with those. I had one lucky shot..."

"Maybe that is something you should learn."

The Sheikah took a bow and a dozen of arrows, making use of the paper that Impa had given to Lloyd.

"The horses are saddled up for the ride, they will carry most of the burden."

That was part of their job, but still Lloyd couldn't help to feel sorry for the noble animals. It was a bit later in the morning, so the village was more active. Children were running around, young Sheikah practicing moves against each other. There weren't that much people around. Hopefully that only meant a lot were on the road helping other people.

"You want to spar?"

"Huh?" Lloyd looked towards Vera. "Why do you ask that?"

"You were looking at the trainees. Besides, I would like to see what you can do. We are going to travel together for a while."

That was true. It will be quite different for Lloyd. He was used to traveling with a group. Now it was him and Vera, who was still pretty hard to read.

"Sure, I don't mind sparring." He did much of that against Kratos. It would be interesting to see what kind of style the Sheikah had.

Vera nodded and went ahead to some more open space. It was still in the village, no doubt it would draw attention. Most certainly because Lloyd, a stranger, was wearing Sheikah clothing. He wondered if this was considered an insult.

"Let's start without weapons." The Sheikah said, already raising her fists.

Of course Lloyd followed suit quickly. He did hold back a bit, because starting a journey with broken bones or wounds wouldn't be very smart.

It was to be expected that Vera was agile. Her way of fighting reminded him much of Sheena. Quick on her feet, fierce punches, calculating every move. They did a lot of dodging and punching for all directions, not really trying to hit very hard.

Then Vera tried to catch the teen off guard. She pulled a small dagger from behind her back and swung it towards Lloyd's chest. Once again, his reflexes were his saving grace. His next move was pulling his swords and striking back. He wasn't used to their length, so he took a bit to much distance, resulting in a miss.

And Vera made use of this, taking the necessary distance, and making use of her speed an small weapon to attack in bursts. So Lloyd chose for defense at first, crossing the swords in front of his body. When she attacked the sides, he could easily bent down the swords to guard those.

After parrying a couple of the Sheikah 's attacks, Lloyd was sick of just defending. He wanted to strike back. So when she did a burst again, he used his swords to push her back and at the same time slash down.

Vera just nimbly dodged out of the way. When the tables turned around, it was not a really fair fight. The teen had much bigger weapons, much more reach. He would continue to push her back until she hit a wall of a house.

Still, she would not give up easily. When he swung, Vera ducked under the attack, rolling to the side, just past Lloyd's leg. Instead of using her dagger, she used her hand to hit is leg. After this, she stood up.

"I would have sliced your leg right open. Leave you to bleed to death. That is how the Yiga work, and a lot of the monsters too. The guardians would simply blow you up. If you want to survive and do what you can to help, I would advice just avoiding all of it. Learn how to stealth."

Vera crossed her arms and looked at him with piercing, red eyes. It was almost intimidating. Slowly Lloyd nodded to her words, putting away his swords. He wasn't one to go into every fight, but he also wasn't one to run away. Was there no in between?

"But, you are a good swordsman," she complimented him.

"Thanks! You are a good ninja." Lloyd said with a wide smile.

"Ah, right. Thank you, I suppose." The name ninja wasn't really something she was fond of.

"You know, I could have done more, if this would work." Lloyd touched the Exsphere on his hand.

"What does it give you?"

The Sheikah wanted to study it up close, and of course Lloyd would let her. He didn't mind.

"It's uh…" This was pretty difficult to explain, he'd rather leave the more brutal background of this thing out of the conversation. "It gives me techniques."

"What exactly do you mean with that?"

"For example, energy will come out of me or my sword and changes into a big wolf, that throws the enemy to the ground."

Crossing her arms, Vera looked at him. "That sounds like magic to me."

Lloyd had to think about that. Technically it was, because it drew from mana, which was considered a source of magic. But also a source of life. It was hard to really give a name to it, so he couldn't really explain it. He wasn't smart enough for that. If Raine were here, she'd give a very long history lesson.

"Don't think to much about it. I think we are ready now, if you agree that is."

"Yeah, I guess we are. We need to see the chief first, she asked for it."

Vera nodded and turned around, already walking towards the building beautifully standing before (or rather almost in between) the waterfalls.

The young Paya was going around, taking care of all things necessary. She smiled and bowed for the two of them as she let them go inside.

As always, Impa was on top of the pile of pillows. In the back of his mind, Lloyd wondered if she ever really left that place.

"Ah, you two seem as ready as ever." Impa smiled. Her eyes went up and down Lloyd for a moment. "Interesting choice of how to wear that."

"I already told him it would be wiser to tie down his hair," was Vera's dry reaction.

"But it is not your style, huh?" The chief directed her kind smile towards Lloyd.

"Hehe, yeah. My hair will not be touched," he joked.

"So, you are taking your leave then." Impa folded her hands together.

"Yes chief, the sooner, the better." Vera replied with a nod.

"True enough. But do not get ahead of yourself. To much haste can be very dangerous. Do not forget this world is new to Lloyd."

For a moment, the Sheikah looked towards the young man in question. She bowed her head to her chief. "I understand. I will keep it in mind."

"Good. Keep your eyes out for danger, and also for Link, tough I doubt you will see him."

"I can still ask the people we meet to look out for him, right?"

"That will be fine." Impa nodded.

"For now, you got to live up to him. Good luck with that." Vera looked at the teen.

Lloyd looked surprised and maybe a bit shocked at that. The chief spotted this. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"Much like Link, you have much strength and courage. I do think that is why you were chosen to replace him. The goddess has clear faith in you, and so do I."

The teen felt his face heat up, getting embarrassed by her words. "Uh...thank you."

"You talk quite a bit more."

"I'm sorry?" It was an odd remark from the chief.

"Link is a very quiet type. Rarely talks, not showing what he is thinking. He keeps it all in. You are quite the opposite from that."

"Huh, alright then..." Lloyd didn't really know what more to say on that.

"Well," Impa clapped her hands once, enthusiastic it seems. "With that all said, you can go on your way. Have a good trip, but above all, take care."

She gestured the both of them closer, and when they did, took each one of their hands into hers. Because of the pillows, she was high up, but she still had to look up a little bit to be able to look into their eyes.

"May Hylia... Hm, what is the name of your goddess, Lloyd?"

"Uh, it's Martel."

"May Hylia and Martel watch over and protect you on your journey."

Impa bowed her head for a moment, in a short prayer. Lloyd wasn't much for faith, but he still appreciated it that she included Martel.

The chief looked up at them again and let go of their hands. "Have a safe trip."

"Thank you." Lloyd said it softer then Vera, as they both bowed their heads and turned to leave the building.

It was unexpected to see a lot of the villagers gathered around, looking up at the stairs all at once. Word got around fast, but it also wasn't a very big place. There was a strange silence. It seemed like the people weren't to sure to be happy, sad or worried, or all in one. So they just stared.

"T-take care." Paya said softly to them from the side. Lloyd nodded towards her, while Vera already walked down the stairs, apparently ignoring the whole situation.

Their horses were already geared up, waiting to go. Feeling awkward, Lloyd looked around at the villagers. Still, their looks were hard to read. He felt like he had to get out here quick. So he followed Vera's lead fast and before he knew it, they were on the road yet again.


	10. Chapter 9(1)

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)  
_

* * *

Warning: slight cursing! Also, thanks for the kind reviews! This next chapter will be split in two, because it's rather long. Enjoy.

* * *

It wasn't something Shade would normally do; following the road. But he knew that way he'd eventually run into people, or even better, a town.

Yes, he knew the way no matter what. But things do tend to change after one hundred years. Roads would mostly be covered if they weren't often traveled. But the ruins were added, a lot. A direct result of Calamity Ganon, taking over the Guardians.

To bad, really. Shade was hoping to create some ruins himself. But he was a hundred years late to the party.

Damn it, why was it so long? Was the idiot really that hurt? Bravery and foolishness stood very close to each other, Link was the very proof of that.

That was how Shade thought of his host. He himself was very different. He was more then just evil brought out. All the pride, vanity, bad thoughts times ten. Twisted in a very dark entity.

He may have been deprived of the Hero, he didn't want anything to do with him.

Or with the damn legacy. Don't get him started on that. How stupid is it to rely on _one_ person for ages and ages?! Hylia was just as much a fool.

He didn't care she was a goddess, it is just now, there was no hero. You're fucked.

That thought made Shade grin. He made a stop at a small lake. Maybe he'd be lucky and find people he could put fear in.

A small overlook gave him view along a wide spread plane, the Dueling Peaks being its background.

This place...was familiar. Before he could stop it, a memory of the hero played in his head. Of course the princess had a main role in it again. Going about how the Divine Beasts were made by humans, yet they were hard to figure out, a mystery.

Shade was about to disregard this memory when she turned and said: "Tell me the truth... How proficient are you right now, wielding that sword on your back? Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it. Can you here it yet, hero?"

With that, the memory ended and all went quiet again. Shade didn't move, standing in place for a few seconds. Then, a wide, white grin crossed his dark features.

The sword. The Master sword! Oh, wouldn't it be glorious if he could get his hands on that? That way, it cant be used against them. And, maybe it even works for him. He'd stab it in that stupid princess' heart, just to feel the hero's break.

But, the question is; where is it? No doubt the princess took it when her knight was gravely wounded. Where would she have taken it?

Shade knew he would never find that out. But _he_ would. The hero is the rightful owner after all. The people know he could bring peace and light with it.

They will have their hero, their hope, until he will crush it all. The will never trust a hero again.

Still grinning, Shade turned to follow the road again. Surely he will run into people eventually.

* * *

According to Vera, the journey would take about a day and a half, if everything would go smoothly. On the way, while riding on their horses, she would tell Lloyd of the dangers they could possibly face.

It seemed a lot were just variations of the bokoblins he'd already faced. This also was the case for a couple of other creatures Lloyd hadn't seen yet.

Lizalfos, lizard like creatures. Moblins, a big, more bulky version of the bokoblin. A Blizzrobe, which sounded like a kind of elemental wizard. Chuchu's, blobs of different colors who could have an element bond to them like electricity.

Interestingly enough, at night there was a high chance you'd walk into a skeletal version of most of these creatures. Keese were just bats, who could also have a certain element (this seemed to be the case for a couple of creatures).

Octoroks, which were described as an octopus on land who could camouflage themselves as rocks. Pebblit, literal moving rocks. Several kinds of Guardians, including a flying one that could be in the place they were going.

"But the most dangerous of them all, is the Lynel variation line. They are very tough to beat. I would advise staying away if you see one; they are very territorial."

Of course Lloyd was fascinated, very curious about this powerful creature.

"What does it look like and what can it do?"

"You know lions?"

Lloyd nodded when she looked at him.

"They have the body of a horse, but the upper half is like that of a lion."

"Like a centaur?"

"Oh, you know those."

"Yeah, we've got them in our world. But they are for the most part half human."

This made Vera frown. "Weird. Anyway, as for what they can do; they have a pretty impressive arsenal. A big sword, bow and arrows. Not just arrows, but the shocking variant. They are a very effective ram. All in all an absolute unit you should avoid, unless you really know what you are doing."

She went quiet for a moment, and looked at him. "How did you make the choice? Why did you choose to stay here instead of going home?"

"A choice cannot be made just like that. Whatever the decision, somebody would be unhappy. Even so, a choice must be made. I would have happily found a way in between. To do both. But that is not possible for now. I just got to follow my heart. And this feels right."

"Huh, wow. Such wise words."

Lloyd smiled his goofy smile. "I get that from time to time."

Suddenly, the Sheikah's eyes shot up towards the sky. "Great, just our luck. Those stupid things are here."

Lloyd followed her gaze. At a moderate distance, hovering in the sky was something. It kind of reminded him of the floating robots he's seen in Yuan's base. But their shape was more like a triangle, with fans that were designed to keep them afloat. And one big eye, just like the Guardian he had run in before.

"We have to keep outside of their line of sight. It's like a circle, so it would be best to go around them as much as possible."

There was no real way to just avoid them completely; they were at a pass, surrounded by high walls. It was either going through it, or climb around. That would take up way to much time and effort.

The horses were a problem as well. They would be certainly spotted if they rode under these things, and Lloyd had no clue how fast these things were. He was no planning on finding that out.

"You think they leave animals alone?" Lloyd asked, thinking of a plan.

"They have no real reason to waste energy on them."

Vera was catching his drift. "We sneak by alone, and then call the horses to us."

"Yeah, that's the only easy way I see."

The Sheikah nodded in agreement and got of her horse. Lloyd followed suit. Petting both noses of the horses, Vera said: "Stay here, alright? Only come after us when we whistle for you."

It was strange, it almost seemed like the two animals nodded to her words.

"Are you a horse whisperer or something?"

He just needed to know. Vera looked at him with a frown.

"Of course not. I just work a lot with animals. I know what to say so they understand."

"Right. So I follow after you?"

The Sheikah nodded, pulling up her mouth cover. This was serious business.

"I've analyzed their patterns. You need to keep up with me or else you'll be fried."

"Isn't a laser more like a shock?"

Lloyd tilted his head, thinking about it. She raised an eyebrow.

"Do you really want to find out?"

"Uh no, good point."

The young man laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"You know this is a serious situation, right?"

Just the look in Vera's eyes – a mix between slight anger and annoyance, and even a bit of disgust – made Lloyd's face fall immediately. He just decided to drop it and nodded.

"Sorry. Let's get going. I'll be right behind you."

The Sheikah just turned towards the path and after a quick look at the flying Guardian closest to them, started a light sprint.

Lloyd followed as quickly as he could. There was nothing wrong with his fitness, but he wasn't the type to do much stealth fully running.

He could never keep up with Sheena's movements and for Vera it was just the same. Her moves and actions were a lot like the ninja he knew, it was almost weird how similar they were.

But Vera's character was different. She was way more serious, and not nearly as clumsy as Sheena could be.

Yes, Sheena did have a serious side. But she only did that when she was around her master or any of the others from the village.

A beeping sound shook Lloyd out of thoughts. A Guardian was _very_ close at spotting him. Luckily there were some big rocks he could hide behind. He held his breath as the thing flew by, still beeping, it's one eye spying around to find whatever it saw just a moment ago.

Thankfully, it didn't want to break it's route for it, probably thinking it was an animal and flew on. Did it even think? Were these things intelligent, or just made to do one specific thing? If that was guarding, what were they guarding here? Just the passage through? Who set them up for this?

There were still a lot of questions on Lloyd 's mind. But there wont be any answers here. From what he heard from Impa, her sister knows more. But she was far away and there were more important things to do.

"Psst." Vera gestured him over to behind a giant rock formation.

When he joined her side, two more Guardians were hovering over their path.

"Now." She said softly, running off at the same pace.

Once again Lloyd struggled to keep up. It didn't help that there was very little cover. Only some rocks from side gazes, but no shelter from up above. And that was the problem. With his luck, which was pretty bad, Lloyd got spotted by the last one. And they were not out of the pass yet.

Humming and beeping loudly, it flew straight towards Lloyd, keeping the same height while doing so, and charging up its laser in the main time.

"Damn it." Lloyd had lost sight of the Sheikah because he now focused on this thing. The charging sound grew louder and it made him nervous. He didn't have much to hit this thing with; he still didn't trust himself with a bow.

So the only other thing, was one of his swords. Well, here go's nothing. With force, Lloyd threw his sword up, aiming for the eye, now blue with energy.

Yes, a direct hit! The charging stopped. But the Guardian didn't go down. Oh no, it was more durable then that. And now it's eye was glowing red (was it angry?) and floating down, right at Lloyd.

"Well s..."

"Back off!"

Vera seemed to appear out of nowhere, jumping down from the rock wall behind Lloyd's back. She threw a knife, which hit the Guardian right in the eye. It seemed to have had enough of this, flying away, beeping quietly as if it was embarrassed to admit defeat.

Vera grabbed Lloyd by the hand and pulled him along. The rock wall went on for a bit, until it suddenly opened up to a stunning view. Grasslands to the right, a mix of hills and rocky terrain. To the left the ground went down, almost straight, deep until there was dark water at the end.

Up ahead, from the same water, arose a very interesting structure. And it even seemed natural, despite it's very odd shape. It was spire like, but wider and the top was almost shaped like an upside down L.

"That is Rito Village." Vera said before she whistled on her fingers. Not long after that, the horses rejoined them, clearly not bothered by the flying Guardians.

Lloyd forced his fascinated gaze away form the view and looked a the Shaikah.

"Thank you for the save...again. Sorry I'm such a burden."

Vera studied him for a moment.

"You are not a burden. This is a new world to you. I tend to forget that sometimes. Things can be very different for you. I should account for that."

"Don't blame yourself, it's a new concept for you as well."

Vera slowly nodded. Her gaze went to what was ahead.

"It's hard to see from here, but there is a stable. It's right before Rito Village. We can rest there and eat."

"Yeah, good plan."

It was getting dark already, so stopping to eat now wouldn't be smart. He wasn't sure if they'd get there before night fell. The slope and hilly terrain would take up more time.

So they both got back up on their horse. It was wiser to go on an easy pace, so that the animals wouldn't get too tired. There were some monsters (Lloyd would still call them that, it was just easier) and when they got to close, they fought them of together.

The sword that Lloyd had thrown at the Guardian was slightly damaged, but he could still work with it fine. It got dark indeed, when they were about halfway.

"Should we stop, or keep going?" Lloyd wondered.

"Stopping here in the wide open isn't safe. We will mostly encounter skeletons now. If you knock off their head and destroy that, they will be defeated, it's pretty easy. And Keese are easy as well, even though they are small."

He nodded, looking up at the stars. "It's funny how much is the same, yet different in some way."

"The same sky then, or also different?" Vera asked curiously. Her eyes kept on their surroundings, always on guard.

"Just one difference: we have an extra...hm, planet?" Was that the right word for Derris-Kharlan? But how else could you call it?

"Interesting, what do you call it? Do you have the means to get to it?"

"Not really. It's Derris-Kharlan. Me and my friends have been on it before it ascended into space."

Of course Vera had a big, confused look.

"It's a long story," he kind of smiled. "I don't really like the place, for several reasons."

"Was it a bad time there?"

"Sort off. Kind of complicated. It was the conclusion of our whole adventure. It was...heavy, emotionally and physically."

Lloyd shook his head, he still didn't understand his father's choice to stay there, with _them_ , rather than with his own family, his own _son._

"I'm sorry, I won't push further." Vera saw his pained look, being in thought, still looking up at the sky.

The quiet set in. There was just the sound of the wind, the occasional breezes of the horses and the calls of nature. Yes, it could be very peaceful in Hyrule, if it weren't for the evil creatures lurking around.

Vera could never really relax for that reason, always on edge. They encountered a couple more skeletons, which they easily dealt with. No people were walking around at night, which was wise of course.

The sun was starting to rise and they both felt the tiredness in their body, rubbing away the sleep in their eyes. The horses were feeling it too, but now the stable was getting pretty close, so they had their end goal in sight. Knowing that some hay and well-deserved rest were awaiting, they kept on going.

Then, Lloyd 's eyes were drawn up to the sky, specifically the space above the structure of Rito Village. There was a big shape there, which very much looked like that of a bird, but much bigger. Even though it was up high and some distance away, one could just tell it was big.

"What is that?!"

Vera didn't even have to look up to know what he was talking about.

"That is the Divine Beast Vah Medoh. The thing that is oppressing the Rito, and you need to stop this. That Slate is the key. That is about all I know."

Lloyd 's eyes grew big. The very shape of it was intimidating. It was still a bit dark, which gave it a creepy vibe. He had to bring down _that_ giant thing?!

Of course Vera saw his shocked expression and could guess what was going through his head.

"The chief didn't tell you much about this?"

"Not really much detail, because the only person who has that is too far. It would have been nice to have some sort of description, but then again I didn't really ask."

"Sorry about that, this is probably intimidating, very much so. If I could take this off you, I would do so right this instance. Sadly I can not do that. So I will help out as much as I can."

Meanwhile they came to the stable, getting of their horses. The stable girl there, took the reigns of the animals, looking curiously at them.

"Did I hear you talk about the Beast?"

"We were. Do you know more about it?" Vera wanted to know.

"We do not dare come close to it. The poor Rito are on their own. It creates strong winds all around, so entering and leaving the place can be very difficult. I did hear they try to take it down, but as you can see, no real success."

The girl then guided the horses into a shed with hay and water. They gladly ate and drank right away.

"We sometimes can get some wares to them, but that's about it. Would you like to come inside for some food and maybe some rest?"

"Yes please, all of that." Lloyd said right away, feeling the fatigue really hitting him.

Vera nodded to this and the girl went ahead of them. Inside the big building, there were just a couple of people, including the owner behind the counter. On a small, round table, breakfast was set up.

"Please help yourselves. Talk to my boss if you want to rest."

"Thank you." Vera nodded to the stable girl, who smiled kindly and went back outside.

Food first, that was most important. The both of them had most of what was on the table. The two other people there, didn't mind, they already had their share.

After this, they walked up tot the bar, where the owner was working. Vera still had a question for him before taking a nap.

"When is the best and safest time to go to the Village?"

The thin, middle-aged man frowned deeply. "I wouldn't go there unless you have very important business. It's not really a tourist place now."

"Well, we have. Will you please answer my question?" Vera was showing a bit of her impatience, but the man just grumbled.

"Today and tomorrow. You have great timin'."

"Ah, good. Luck is on our side."

Satisfied she looked at Lloyd. He just yawned, planning to slack off. "Great. Can we go sleep now?"

"Sure thing, I got enough free beds. Forty rupees for a normal bed. A hundred for a soft one."

"Two normal's. Wake us up around noon." The Sheikah placed the fee on the counter.

"Uh, if you please." Lloyd added quickly.

The man still huffed at Vera's ill manners, but said nothing and gestured to two bed next to each other. Lloyd walked to one right away and just let himself drop (much like the first stable he came across). He was out in seconds.


	11. Chapter 9(2)

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

A piercing sound woke the both of them up with a start. It came from outside, from the sky, you could just tell. It still was hard to guess who or what made this sound.

"Vah Medoh, letting us know who is ruling these parts." The owner mumbled a curse. "Damn thing."

Vera took the time to get her outfit as it should be. It was a representation of her people, so this was important to her.

Guess I was yet again too tired to take of anything, Lloyd thought to himself. He could feel the wrappings around his arms, other than that, it was fine.

"Well, it at least got great timing; it's just about noon." The owner said. Which was not that hard to guess because of all the light pouring in.

"Do you need lunch, or shall we go straight to the Village?"

Vera looked at the teen. How did his hair stay like that, she caught herself wondering. It's almost like it's always stuck in the same, wild doo.

Lloyd didn't answer her right away. He rarely said no to food, but on the other hand, they were so clos now. Might as well get to it.

"Oh, if you really are going, would you mind taking the goods we have for them with yah?" The owner of the stable asked.

"I don't mind," Lloyd said right away, shrugging.

"How much load is it?" The Sheikah wanted to know.

"Not that much, because horses can't be taken over the bridges."

"I suppose."

Vera looked at Lloyd. She was still hard to read for him. But now she looked like she was waiting for something.

"Oh, lunch! No, let's get going, it seems like they really need the help."

She nodded to this. The owner was happy that the visitors were ready to take the supplies meant for the village. Now he didn't have to go the dodgy road himself. He got out two crates, full of food and drinks.

Lloyd lifted one of them to check the weight. It was not to heavy; however, they were too big to stack. If he'd do that, he wouldn't be able to look over them. So, they each carried one.

The teen hadn't noticed before, but there was a long bridge hanging over the ravine. Sure, it seemed like a pretty alright bridge. It wasn't rotten or dangling in any way. Still, it was a long down if you were to fall.

Lloyd wasn't afraid of heights, but he still took a hesitant first step. People did warn about the strong winds from Vah Medoh. He wanted to walk slow and fast at the same time. That brought them to a normal, yet careful pace.

The bridge held up fine, it barely even moved, which was surprising. Sadly, more unstable bridges were to come. It wasn't just one structure in the ravine, it was several. They kind of made up islands they had to pass before getting to the main one.

Why live in such a precarious place? Well, it didn't matter for its inhabitants. They were able to just fly over it. So, Lloyd's question became; why not fly now, when it's pretty quiet?

This was answered when they came closer; the wind picked up significantly. This made the crossing a bridge bit certainly more difficult. They had to do it step by step.

Under one arm, they had the crate with supplies, so that they could hold on to the rope of the bridge in hope not to be blown away. The weight was helpful for this, but a burden at the same time. They had a mind of just dropping them and run to the other side.

But Lloyd wasn't one for giving up. This was stuff the people here needed. Without it, they could starve. And Vera just followed suit; she had no real other choice.

And finally, they set foot on the structure where the village was built upon. They had to walk around a large rock first to get the full view.

It sure was a unique sight to behold. A pathway made of wooden walkways slowly winded up around the main, big rock. From these pathways, platforms were set up. It was hard to tell yet what these held.

Finally, Lloyd saw a Rito. No, they weren't like harpies. Well, it was still all feathers that covered the whole body and they had claws and a beak. But they were a lot taller, and somehow seemed more...human?

Maybe that was because their anatomy seemed more correct. And they had a more human look in their eyes.

"Ah, some more food. Always happy to see that!"

The Rito called out, clapping his wings together enthusiastically. He had a male voice, and was partly covered by cloth. The colors were a counterpart to the colors of his own feathers, which were dark green.

Of course, Lloyd wouldn't deem anything a monster or evil until he saw proof of this. Still, it was something to get used too, because the Rito looked so much like a harpy.

"Here, let me take that of you. I will show you the way."

A true gentleman, the Rito wanted to take the load of Vera. But she stepped back.

"Actually, Lloyd here needs to talk to your chief. If that's possible."

"Oh. Why, of course. If you just follow the walkway all the way up, the chief is right at the end."

Pretty fitting, Lloyd thought. He nodded in thanks to the Rito and just went ahead. He was sure Vera would be quick to catch up with him.

The first thing Lloyd ran into, was another one of those praying Angel statues. It was a small one, in a little out cove of the rock's wall. Now he was certain; this was their depiction of their Goddess Hylia. It was pretty simple, but if it works, it works.

He walked on, and couldn't help it to glance at every Rito he saw. They all were different, either in the color of their feathers of their choice of clothing. Some were wearing full gear armor, others only covered only the more 'private' parts.

The Rito, in turn, glanced back at him. Considering the fact that they don't see humans that much, or any other people for that matter, it wasn't that surprising.

They don't know half of it, Lloyd thought to himself. I'm from a whole other world!

"Mama, why can't I go say hi?!"

A young male voice almost squawked. On a platform (they mostly seemed to serve as a sort of living space) a big Rito kept hold on a small one by one of its wings.

"Stay with mama, little chick. It's still a stranger."

Her look didn't seem to friendly towards Lloyd. More hostile. Trying to defuse this, the teen smiled and gave a friendly wave. But all she did was pull her child...chick closer to her.

Did he really look that scary? Or were they that not used to people that they were hostile. That wouldn't be good or healthy.

The teen just quickened his pace. He saw that one platform held an inn and another a store. Why keep that up if you barely have people coming here, Lloyd wondered to himself. Was it still worth it, or were they just hopeful? That second thought was pretty sad.

It was quite a climb, but the views were truly spectacular. Over hills and mountains, green though some were also covered in snow.

A big platform was near the top of the walkway. It had some activity, Rito woman and their chicks, taking in the view or playing around.

Also, there was a shrine. Interesting place for it, so thought Lloyd. It was standing on its own rock formation like it was made for it. He would have liked to talk to the Rito, but there were more important things to do.

So, Lloyd directed his eyes straight ahead. The end of the path had a curious shape. It was almost like a gazebo, complete made from wood and open, just like all the other buildings there (only those were smaller and had a simpler roof).

But what was in it, really drew Lloyd's attention. There was a big, owl like Rito sitting on a wide chair, mainly covered by brown feathers with hints of black and white.

What was interesting though, was the fact that this Rito had hair. Fascial hair. A long, white, decorated beard and really, really long eyebrows.

The owl wore a green cloth over his chest and had a lot of straps going on as a sort of clothing. Or was it considered decoration?

"Ohoo! What do we have here? I rarely get human visitors! Welcome to the Rito village. I am Kaneli, chief of this settlement. How can I help you?"

"Uh, hiya! My name is Lloyd. Lloyd Irving. And actually, I'm here to help you. You know, with that." He made a vague gesture to the sky.

Kaneli tilted his head. This was so exaggerated, Lloyd had trouble keeping a straight face.

"I'm afraid I do not understand, dear boy. While I appreciate the offer, I know that only one can tackle that problem. And he is blond and has sky-blue eyes. Oh, I remember Link well. He wasn't happy having to work with Revali, our champion. Then again, he was not an easy character..."

"Um, sir..."

"Oh, so sorry! I'm chattering again, aren't I? Such a bad habit of mine. Hoohoo."

The chief had a laugh that was adorable and funny at the same time. Lloyd could really see himself hanging around with this guy – owl...whatever. He quickly shook his head; focus!

From a hidden pocket he then produced the Sheikah Slate. The moment the chief laid his golden eyes on it, his laugh faded and he got a serious look on his face.

"How did you..."

"It's kind of a long story. The short of it is, that Link is missing and I was brought here to fill the gap, so to say."

"Hey, you are not alone, remember?"

Vera suddenly stood next to him. He couldn't help to be a bit startled by this. Of course, being Sheikah meant being stealthy, quiet. It just ran in the young woman's veins.

The veil hit it, but Vera lightly grinned at his reaction. It was only a compliment to her. She then bowed toward the chief.

"Good to meet you, chieftain. I am here with Lloyd by order of chief Impa. We hope to resolve the issue quickly. By coming here first to help with the Divine Beast, hopefully your people can help us in return, by looking for the lost hero from the skies."

Blinking a couple of times, Kaneli came to terms to what was said and asked of him.

"Oh. Well, of course. There is just one problem: getting up to said Beast. You do not have wings. My people have tried to infiltrate it several times now. Not too long ago even, there was another attempt."

He sighed sadly; a small 'hoot' came out. "But it always has the same result. They get hurt, sometimes even worse. No one dares to go up there anymore."

Vera and Lloyd looked at each other, both their wheels in their heads were turning, thinking of a solution.

"The fact of the matter is – sorry for your losses by the way – that this here is the ticket. The one way in that thing."

Lloyd waved the Slate slightly. The owl's eyes looked at the object for a moment, then he studied the teen boy holding on to it. Of course, he gave the chief a smile, meant to be reassuring, only it was a bit too big.

"Well, maybe there is one," he finally said. "You will need to talk to his wife first. And she can be a though one when it comes to family. Her name is Saki. You will find her three houses back."

"Thank you, chief." Vera bowed and Lloyd nodded to him.

When they turned to walk back, she remarked: "This means you will have to do it alone. At least, without me."

"Yeah well, that really can't be helped. I understand the fear they have of that thing. You can still do something though. Look around here for any signs of the hero."

The Sheikah sighed, but nodded. She was pretty sure it was going to be fruitless, but at least she'd be doing something.

Saki turned out to be the Rito who kept her chick close. She was busy with a cooking pot while the little one was playing with a toy. She narrowed her eyes when the two strangers stopped by her house (if you could call it that. It was very open and with almost no furniture).

"Sorry to disturb you, miss. We were told by your chief to approach you," Vera started off.

"Really? For what exactly?" Weary, she stepped closer to her chick, in between him and the two strangers.

"We wanna help with that Beast. You want to be free of it, right?" Lloyd chimed in.

The Sheikah next to him an agitated look. "Maybe just let me talk?"

"Why? I mean, these people are stuck here. The poor kids probably haven't seen anything of the world yet. We can change that."

"You sound quite sure of yourself."

"You seem to be a bit like my husband." This remark from Saki made them both look at her. She looked sorrowful, but had a slight smile at the same time.

"Your enthusiasm and hope. There was a time he was full of that. Goddess, what I wouldn't give to see that in him again."

Her smile faded, only leaving the sadness. "After seeing close friends getting hurt or even worse..."

Sakie shook her head. This was no talk for her son's ears.

"I get that. I really do. But I promise you those bad times will end." Lloyd balled his fist, ready for his pep talk.

"Listen kid, you do not have to convince me. I want to be rid of that thing just as much as everyone else here. It's my husband who has to fly you up there. He can, but his morale has suffered a great hit. I hope your enthusiasm is contagious."

"I will certainly will give it my all. So where is he, what's his name by the way?"

"His name is Teba and he is over there."

Her wing pointed out, toward the snow covered mountains in the north.

"Not in the mountains themselves, but a small sanctuary as we call it, right before them."

But it was on the other side of the ravine. Going around would take days, if it even was possible.

"How can we reach that?" Lloyd wondered out loud.

"Didn't you have a sailcloth that helps you float?" Vera asked.

"I suppose that'll work."

"I must warn you, there are a lot of updrafts in that direction. That's why most of us do not go there."

"Well, I so no other option."

Vera laid a hand on Lloyd's shoulder and gave a short pinch. It was clear that he had to go alone, the sailcloth wasn't made for holding two people.

"Before you go, I would advise you to get some warm clothes. Otherwise you will freeze to death."

"Oh. Good point. Thank you, Sakie."

The female Rito nodded. "We have a clothing shop just a few steps down. Oh, also when you go, look out for wild bears and the Lizarfos. They camouflage very well in the snow."

Lloyd stuck up his hand and waved smiling, already turning around to head towards the shop. Sakie crossed her wings while she watched him leave.

"I do not know if he's brave or just a fool with too much hope."

"It's a bit of both. But sometimes you need that combination accomplish something." Vera said.

The two women shared a look. They both had their share of that.

"I should get to work myself. Thank you for your information." She bowed lightly and then went off, first the check up on the fool in question.

"Excuse me, how many rupees did you say?" Lloyd was so dumbfounded by the amount the owner told him, he just had to hear it again. And he didn't mishear.

"Look, I got to make a living too. These take work and materials, which are hard to come by. You don't have the full set, you know." The owner was kind of shooting himself in the foot...talon by making this comment, but he was hoping this way he'd at the very least be able to sell one item.

"Throw in some gloves with that warm tunic and you have a deal." Vera came in with this offer.

"Deal," the owner said right away, gladly taking the purse and counting the content carefully. Then he smiled and took said tunic of its display. He walked towards his counter and retrieved some really warm looking gloves. This was then offered to Lloyd.

"I have a curtain you can change behind right there," he pointed to a corner. "Let's see if I need to make some adjustments."

"Oh...uh, right." Lloyd looked at Vera for a moment, wondering if it really was okay to spent so much on some clothing.

"Go on, you will need it. Don't want you freezing to death."

He just nodded at this and went behind the curtain. To his surprise, the tunic fit him very well. It maybe was a bit tight in some places where he'd build some muscle, but he could still move fine. Besides, it was so warm. It felt like a big teddy bear was wrapped around him. But instead of stuffing, it was feathers. Funny enough, there weren't itchy in the slightest.

"Well, that looks perfect if you ask me. How about the gloves?" the shop owner asked.

Lloyd looked them over. He didn't like the idea of having to cover up his Exsphere. But it sounded like it was really cold out there, so he had no real choice.

"Perfect. The ideal costumer, that is what you are. Thank you for your visit. Please come again."

A typical shop owner thing to say. The both of them just nodded to them and walked out enough so him couldn't hear them.

"For real? That much, for this? Is it really okay?" Lloyd asked the Sheikah.

"We can't deny its quality. And again: you need it. I got a good number of rupees from the chief to help you in this quest. And that is exactly what I will do. I will give you the things you need, and you do your part of bringing down that Beast."

Lloyd looked her over for a moment. "You hate it that you can't come with, don't you? You want to fight just as badly."

Her mouth was a thin line. Vera had taken of the cloth that was covering her face. "I will not deny that, I like action rather than sitting around. But this is how the dice has fallen. I will do my part and investigate the hero 's disappearance."

The teen nodded at this. "I'm sure you'll be able to make up for it," regarding the action.

"Be careful, alright?"

"Yeah, you too."

They nodded to each other and then went their separate ways. Lloyd figured that the highest point would be the smartest place to jump from. Standing on the edge of the platform, he looks over the great deep below and the mountains beyond.

Don't think about what's below your feet. Just look straight ahead, towards your goal.

It was Kratos' voice he heard in his head. It was the typical advice he'd give. Not one he'd actually given him though.

Geez, am I that desperate for his encouragement? Lloyd thought sarcastically to himself. He shook his head to shake of these thoughts. He can do this himself. He was strong enough, and he had faith. People were depending on him!

After a deep breath, the teen folded out the paraglider. If you looked long enough, the updraft became visible. And it was already clear to him that he needed to use them, otherwise he would never make it to the other side.

Just go for it, there is no other way. Don't look down. Before he knew it, Lloyd hang of the piece of cloth in the air, dangling above a looooong drop. But he kept his gaze straight ahead, slightly steering the glider.

It was surprising that the updraft spun him around like a toy. But luckily it wasn't that bad. Lloyd just got spun around once while being pushed up. It gave real butterflies in his stomach. He actually quite liked it.

Still, time was of the essence. Not only for the objective, but also the teens poor arms. They could only hold on for so long. So, steering as direct as possible was essential.

A second updraft gave him just enough to reach the edge on the other side. With a sigh of relieve, Lloyd dropped his arms. He needed to take a breather for the strain on his arms to pass.

Because of Sakie's warning, he knew there was danger lurking around. So, he had to be fit to be able to defend himself.

The cold was already very present. Now he was very thankful for the warm tunic and gloves that kept him warm. He could only imagine how cold it would be without. Imagine how cold it was going to be, most certainly up in the sky on that Divine Beast.

After a short rest, Lloyd started walking. The route wasn't very clear, but the point Sakie had pointed at was still clear to see from ground level. Still, he kept his hands near his swords, being on his guard.

The fact that and enemy could blend in with its surroundings, was making him uneasy. Sure enough, just a couple of steps further, a shape jumped up from the snow, very close by.

The teen drew his swords right away, making one swing to drive it back.

The lizard like creature jumped back, making a weird, froglike sound. Its skin was still white, but now, it was also showing green and blue, plus some very light and sparse armor. It stood on two legs but hunched over and it had quite a horn on the front of its head, made of white crystal ice.

The creature jumped left and right, before jumping straight for its opponent. It was wielding a short sword, which it was swinging straight towards Lloyd.

He brought up his swords in the shape of an 'x' to block this attack. There was surprising force behind the blow.

It gave a screeching sound and jumped back. Again, it jumped left to right, as if this was its way of warming up for an attack.

So, Lloyd had to be quicker, there was an opening now. It made a kind of clicking or purring sound when the Lizalfos got hit on its free arm.

Quickly flicking its tongue, it forced Lloyd back because he didn't want to get hit by that wet thing. Also, it may be poisonous.

The creature gave a chittering growl and swung widely with its sword. Lloyd deflected it with his left and made a downward arc with his right sword, this time hitting his opponents' leg.

The hit was true, the Lizalfos of course wasn't happy with this, but it now had a surprise for Lloyd. A projectile made of ice was fired, from its mouth!

The teen cursed softly by getting so close, now he wasn't able to dodge it. So, he used his left sword to deflect it. Because of the angle, the ice partly hit his hand and he felt his fingers stiffen from the cold.

Good thing Vera made sure he got those warm gloves. His hand would have frozen up otherwise. With his right, he made a swift undercut.

The Lizalfos had no protection partly over its body, so this hit was lethal. It went up in smoke, leaving its weapon and horn of ice behind.

Shaking his left hand to get blood streaming and warm up the fingers, Lloyd only picked up the horn. A force of habit, really. Back home, the collected everything a monster would drop. A merchant could maybe need the material to make something specific. Maybe they did that in this world too. Something he should ask Vera when he gets back.

Right, finding this Teba guy. Let's get back to that. Lloyd focused his gaze back on the mountain, but now he would look out more for these very well blending creatures.

Next to some wild wolves (which just ran away when they saw the teen) and a distant bear, the rest of the route was uneventful. Not that Lloyd minded this too much, he was sure enough was awaiting him on this journey.

While the path rose gingerly and the mountains around rose higher above, something interesting came into view. There was a small building, right above a cliff where a strong wind was blowing.

A simple wooden walkway was the only way to get to this house. The style was very similar to the 'houses' in Rito Village, only with a bit more cover. Probably for the weather conditions.

Lloyd was pretty sure that the guy he was looking for was in there. This cliff face was nowhere near as bad as the one around the village and the cross was shorter and even seemed sturdy.

A big, white feathered bird was sitting in the middle of the house, back turned towards Lloyd. It was hard to see, but it seemed like this Rito was tinkering with a bow, turning it over a couple of times while Lloyd approached.

"Hm, who is there?" The Rito had a slightly deep voice. He looked over his shoulder and up a bit, clearly frowning when he saw an unfamiliar face a couple of steps away.

"A human, all the way out here? Welle that's a rare sight. There is nothing to see here, kiddo. You better run on back home." He turned his head back and continued with his work while he said this.

For a moment, Lloyd was at a loss. This was the first rude person he met. All the people up until now have been kind. Bit it a bit weary and grumpy sometimes, but given the circumstances, that was understandable.

The teen recovered quick though and cleared his throat. "Actually, I was told to come here. I take it you are Teba. The chief and your wife said to find you here."

Teba turned more towards the teen at this, measuring him up seemingly with his dark lined eyes.

"Really now? And why is that?"

"I need uh... a lift?" Lloyd smiled awkwardly while pointing skyward, toward where he last saw the Beast before the mountains obscured his vision.

At this, the white feathered Rito stood up and stepped closer. Like all (grown up) Rito, he was very tall, so Lloyd had to look up to look him in the eyes. But he also took note of the weapon in one of his wings. That was clearly a bow, a big sturdy one at that. Short range, it was still good for giving a 'bonk' on the head.

Teba looked down on this human. This not even adult that claimed with a smile he wanted to go to the Divine Beast. He was not entertained to say the least.

"Is this a joke to you, boy? That blasted thing has injured more of my kin then you can count on your hands. It has claimed lives. And you are asking for a lift?"

Ay, this went down the wrong way quick. Idiot, stop smiling! Lloyd made his mouth a thin line quickly and bowed his head.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I mean no disrespect. I just want to help you all out to get rid of this problem."

"Hmf, and what can you do then? There is no way in."

Teba crossed his wings, still holding on to the bow. Lloyd slowly took the Slate from his pack. He had figured keeping it there was better than under all this clothing.

The Rito tilted his head at this glowing rectangle. "I recognize the symbol of the Sheikah, but..."

"Oh. Well, this will be the way in. That's all I've been told."

Kind of weird that Lloyd assumed everyone would know what this object mean, was or did. Until now he'd only shown it to people who'd worked with it or seen it before.

"Right." Teba said, after studying the Slate for a moment, then again, the teen. "Wasn't the Champion commander the only one who could do this stuff? You don't really fit the description, kiddo."

Champion commander? That was news to Lloyd. Not that he really knew what it meant, but it sounded pretty important.

"No, yes. I know." He sighed, it was getting a bit annoying to have to explain this over and over. "My name is Lloyd. I'm sorta Link 's replacement. Or placeholder. Whatever. I know I am asking a lot. You don't know me and that thing is terrifying, but because that is the case, I wanna help. I can't let people live in fear, locked of like this. Those poor kids only know of its terrors. I want to put a stop to that."

Lloyd raised his left hand and balled his fist. His Exsphere was covered by the glove, but this was normally his show of strength and faith (and all in between).

"Do you know what you are getting into? What is waiting for you up there?"

Teba narrowed his eyes at the teen. Lloyd halfheartedly opened his mouth, but the answer already followed.

"Canons. Four of them. Shooting devastating lasers at anyone that comes to close. All four need to be taken down, for they make up a shield you cannot pass. Only when this shield is down, you can get to the entrance. There is only two of us. How do you think we can pull this off? I have to fly you, unless you have wings hidden under those clothes."

Teba said this with a scoff, still looking down at this teen. But his look was absent, staring of in the middle distance. What was this kid thinking about?

 _While holding the Eternal Sword up high, a lot went through his body at the same time. Hope, faith, goodness, strength, power. Anything and everything. It was difficult to hold on, to focus on the one thing that was above all else; his wish._

 _It was simple but big as well. It was the end. Of the Chosen's hardships, the people having to starve and suffer, and all the pain._

 _Freedom. The mere thought send him soaring, literally. The wings that carried him were the colors of the rainbow. No feathers. They were see through. Just like Colette 's, or his dad's..._

"Helloooo?" Teba waved his wing before the teen's eyes, shaking him out of his thoughts. He blinked, then he shook his head.

"There has to be a way. Please, tell me what I can do."

The way this kid looked up at him, it really hit Teba. The hope in those eyes, still standing strong, not backing down one bit.

The Rito took a deep breath, thinking of what could be done. Then he noticed he was still holding the bow and held it up slightly.

"How well can you handle a bow?"

"Um... I've only had one lucky shot. I'm more of a swordsman."

Lloyd tapped the swords on his hips he still wasn't quite used too.

"Well, then you need a very fast course. You will have to be the one that shoots those canons down."

"Wait, how? You will be flying me, right? How wlil you be holding me; how can I shoot a bow?"

"An arrow." Teba corrected him. He laid a wing on Lloyd's right shoulder. "Breathe and calm down, kid. Panicking won't help. What do you have on you?"

Lloyd did was he was told, breathing in and out deeply, taking of his backpack. The first thing he pulled out was the parasail. Of course, this drew the Rito 's attention. He picked it up and studied it, testing the folding system.

"Interesting. This can be useful. With some ropes, this can serve as your suspension, keep you afloat. It can take hold of you with ropes around your torso. That way your arms and hands can move more freely. It won't be ideal, but better than I would keep hold of you. This place is deal to practice. Are you ready?"

Lloyd got out his poor excuse for a bow out of his bag. Just simple wood and string. No special or cool design like the one Teba was holding."

"Hm. You should use this one. You can borrow it. It is a very special bow, so please be careful with it."

Clearly doubtful, the Rito offered up his weapon. It had a golden like color and a design on both ends that looked like feathers.

"It was once the weapon of the Champion Revali."

No pressure then, Lloyd thought to himself.

"Let me teach you the basics first. Archery is the art of stance and concentration. How good you shoot is on you, your bow is the tool. See it as an extension of your arm. Are you left- or right-handed?"

"Um well, I fight with both so..."

"Ah, of course. Pretty admirable."

Teba looked at the swords at the teen's sides. They were clearly to long for real duel wielding. But it was a rare practice on itself, he didn't know any human who did this. Never met one, never read about one.

"Let's just go with right. Your stance needs to be firm, confident. Otherwise you don't stand behind your weapon. But I guess you already know that?"

"Well, kind of. But how can I use that for a bow? And why learn the stance if I'm going to be in the air anyway?"

Teba narrowed his eyes at him, at this question. "I just told you. You first need to learn to be one with the bow. This is the way."

Lloyd looked apologetic and just nodded. Lessons or getting thought weren't his strong suite. But Teba seemed very adamant about it, so he just had to go along with it.

"Stand sideways. Turn your back so that your left arm is up front. See yourself as a line. Your whole body has to form one."

Needless to say, this took a while. Learning to shoot a bow wasn't as simple as it seemed. Lloyd did kind of get the whole stance thing to learn about the weapon itself. But he still kept thinking to himself he wasn't going to use it in the air. How in the world was he going to do that?

"Clear your head, kiddo. You won't be able to hit anything if you don't." Teba made his point clear by gesturing to the target Lloyd was practicing on. All the arrows were outside of it.

That was pretty discouraging. Lloyd 's mind was one that easily wondered, and there was a lot on his mind. That girl Zelda (whom he hadn't heard in quite a while now, so that worried him), and the fate of Link. Also, of all the people in this world, being threatened by this dark entity. Then still, his own home was there. His friends surely were missing him, probably even worried about him.

Poor Colette. What did he do to her by choosing this course? He felt guilty for sure. But he also could never forgive himself if he left all these people to a harsh fate.

The world already looked quite beaten up and dark. The poor kids in Rito Village really opened his eyes on how unfair this was. The thought of them having to grow up in a dark, gloomy prisonlike environment. The thought of leaving that broke his heart.

A flick of a feather hit his forehead. There were bones in those feathered fingers, was the discovery Lloyd made because of this flick Teba gave him. While rubbing the spot, he looked up at the Rito.

"Empty your mind. Right now, you are just practicing your bow. All other things on your mind are things you cannot do now. Am I wrong?"

"Uh...no. You're right." How did Teba know that? Was he that easy to read?

"Are you able to do it? It is pretty close to stressing about things yet to come, you know."

The Rito made a real good point. Though it wasn't his strong suit, Lloyd needed to learn to let go of things he couldn't do anything about at the moment.

"If it helps, replace it with something that calms and soothes you."

Something that calms and soothes me...

The very first thing that came to mind, was Colette, singing. Sitting on top of a mountains overhang, giving a beautiful view over the dense forest below.

The way she sang, it was with such calm and serenity, like she hadn't a care in the world. Even though she had so much on her on her shoulder. Much of which she kept to herself.

Lloyd sighed and shook his head. That wasn't the point here. He concentrated on her singing, on how it calmed him down, how it made him forget all the trouble and just enjoy the moment.

A smile came across his face, though it was a bit of a sad one. I'm sorry, Colette. It is my turn to say this to you now. But you know how I am. Dwarven vow number two: never abandon someone in need!

Teba spotted the sheer determination in those eyes. Goddesses, it's like looking in the mirror. Only when I was younger, he thought. What changed, Teba? Why are you now this cranky old man?

And so, the two of them unknowingly came to the same resolve: let's make it all right again!


	12. Chapter 10

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

Note: this is a chapter I some how completely missed to put in. So sorry, if this caused any confusion!

* * *

The abnormality was hard to miss. It was a tear, like a big claw ripped right through the sky, leaving behind this dark mark. Oozing and pulsing slightly, it was all but inviting.

That didn't matter. Kratos was here for one reason: to investigate. If that meant he had to go through this...thing, he would.

Before he did, just to be on the safe side, he left a message to Colette, telling her of his location and if she didn't hear from him within three days – well, that wouldn't be good. He didn't wait for a response, but stepped through this tear.

The other side was quite a change of environment. From a grassy field with flowing hills, to a place covered in sand, surrounded by rock walls of almost the same color. Kratos noticed it was open in the back. Also, he took note of the big hole right in the middle of this place.

From his left, someone almost seemed to walk out of the rock wall. But it was just a trick, a door covered by the same surface to blend in. This person was rather plump in posture, but was wearing a full face mask, so it was hard to say if this was a man or a woman.

"What the... who are you, how did you get in here?" A male voice sounded from behind the white mask with red drawings.

Kratos did not answer, but instead stepped closer to this man. He seemed to be unarmed. All he was holding was a rolled up parchment.

"Stay back, I'm warning you!"

The man snapped is finger. Behind him, slightly above him, something appeared. It was a big ball, that seemed to be made out of iron. It had spikes all around, but right in the middle of it, was an eye design, upside down. The same as on this man's mask.

The ball then moved forward, going straight for Kratos, while the man cackled menacingly. Kratos didn't move from his spot. He just lifted up his right hand and stopped the object's movement, dead in its track.

"How are you... Just what are you?!"

With an almost lazy gesture, Kratos send the iron ball flying. It went straight for the pit he had noticed before, seemingly not able to fly out by itself.

Kohga fell on his behind, backing up from this strange man. He could feel the sheer power alluding from him. He just so easily disposed of his great weapon!

In his haste, the paper he was holding on to, was dropped on the floor and it rolled out. When Kratos laid eyes on what was on this, he immediately grabbed the man by his throat and lifted him up with one hand, removing his mask with the other.

The paper contained a drawing of Lloyd. A bad one (they somehow never get his features right), but he still recognized his son in this.

"Why do you have this, why are you looking for him? Where is he?" Kratos bombarded the man with questions.

Kohga never felt so vulnerable, so exposed and so _scared_. "I, I don't know! I just got some information from one of my men. H-he seemed to be a nuisance. He was last spotted with a Sheikah, so he probably is going to Kakariko Village. That's all I know, I swear!"

The name of a place he never heard of before. There was something Kratos needed to confirm. He spread out his glowing, blueish wings, which made the man in his grasp just freak out. Ignoring this, he flew up with him, high in the sky and took a moment to observe his surroundings.

One thing was absolutely made clear to him: he wasn't in the same world anymore. This was a totally different one. It was just one big land mass with water almost completely surrounding it. His eyes then focused on the man again and he shook him; he seemed out of it for a moment.

"Huh wha.. aaah!" Kohga screamed at the immense height they were at. "Please don't drop me, please, please, please I beg of you. I've told you everything I know! I won't chase him, I swear I will leave him alone. Just, please...don't kill me."

Kratos narrowed his eyes at this sorrowful display. "Point me out the place you were talking about. And yes, you will forget about this little pursuit of yours. Only then will I set you down."

A shaking finger pointed to a mountain range in the distance, a valley in the middle of them. "T-the valley. That is where the Village lays. I wont go after him, I swear to you."

Kratos was getting sick of this trembling fool, but a deal was a deal. He floated back down to the surface and set the man neatly on the ground.

"There. Now if I hear anything, I will come back and finish you."

"Ah, never! You won't ever hear anything, never ever!"

Bowing deeply to this man, Kohga couldn't keep from trembling. He wanted to kiss to ground, but refrained from that until the man flew up and went out of sight without saying another word.

"Guards.. guards!"

The Yiga clan leader recovered himself as much as he could before calling out, putting his mask back on. To be this humiliated, by a total stranger, with such power, with wings even! That was just to much for him.

"Sir?" A couple of guards gathered before him, saluting him and taking a stance.

"We are leaving, right now. Don't even bother packing up."

"Sir..."

"I said now!"

He quickly walked past them, heading for the exit. Show no sign of weakness, he told himself. Even though you just feared for your life, do not tell them this.

And so, the Yiga just did what they were told and moved out of their base as quickly as they could, with no real clue why or where they were to go now. They just followed their leader's lead, because they trusted in him wholeheartedly.

* * *

They practiced the whole day, until it got too dark to continue. The makeshift 'safety net' did it's work. Lloyd still needed to hit the target while hanging from it though. He hadn't gotten there yet.

But Teba still complimented the teens progress. Saying that his stance was good, so the rest will come soon enough.

They sat on the wooden floor, around a simple cooking pot. Teba was stirring the fluid; a soup made of the vegetables his wife give him when he left for this place.

"She takes good care of me, my wife. I do not deserve it, for being such an absent father and husband."

The Rito said this more in thought, watching the steam rise.

"It's clear she loves you. And your kid seems cute. You want what's best for your family, and your kin. She understands that."

Teba remained silent, just slightly nodding, as if he didn't completely agree. Lloyd directed his eyes to the bow, which was hung on the wall for now.

"This Champion, Revali. Do you know what he was like, what happened to him?" He was curious to know.

"I only heard stories. Of course he was before my time. He was a...character. Very full of himself. I guess because he was the chosen champion."

For a moment, he noticed Lloyd tense up when he said the word chosen.

"Kid, where exactly are you from? Why can you use the slate?"

Lloyd plucked at his gloves, getting them off. The heat from the cooking pot was more than enough. The shine of the jewel on top of his left hand immediately caught Teba's eye.

"I don't know why I was the 'chosen one' in this case. Why I was picked out from all the others that worked just as hard for the good of the world. I don't see myself as a hero. I just did what was right, followed my heart. Did was any good person would do."

A silence kicked in. Teba thoughtfully ladled out soup into a bowl and offered this to Lloyd.

"I think the same went for the Champions. They were chosen because of their actions, dedication. Not because they are heroes. But because of their heart. Sure, Revali was a handful and gifted. But he had a good heart. Though he'd never admit that."

A small smile upturned his beak. Still, his look was on Lloyd's Exsphere, seemingly fascinated by it. "What is it, exactly?"

Carefully, Lloyd took out the stone from its protection and held it up. It still had a shine in the shy fire. A blue light, ever emitting. Then he looked at the Rito.

"You don't seem shocked by what I've said," he remarked. He pretty much had admitted he was from a different world.

While eating his soup, the Rito lightly shrugged. "I have an open mind. We've got legends coming true every so often. So why not some help from another place? If it was Hylia who brought you here, I'm sure she knew what she was doing. In our Goddess I trust."

"Yeah...To answer your question, this is an Exsphere. It strengthens ones skills and gives you special technique's."

"Hm, almost sounds like magic."

"For some it is." Lloyd nodded and tasted the soup finally. It was fine. With some good chunks of carrot and radish in it. It almost reminded him of home.

"You say you don't see yourself as a hero, but others do?" Teba asked after a few spoons of soup.

"Yeah. I mean, I was not alone in it. Never was. It's funny, really. We started off small, but grew bigger along the way. In more ways than one."

"This is mostly the case. You make friends along the way. And those make you stronger as an individual, but also as a group." The Rito nodded. "What was your objective?"

"Uh, in short, make the world right again."

"Was it just like it is here?" Teba raised a brow.

The teen shook his head. "Not really. It's very hard to explain, complicated and long. But you could kind of compare some parts of it to what's going on here. We had a Chosen that was burdened to save the world. But it turned out much more and sinister things were going on. It took our whole group of eight people and some good reinforcements to make it all right. There is work to do still."

Lloyd sighed. He did feel a bit guilty leaving his friends like this. Destroying all Exsphere's and all the related things was also very important to him. It was a tough choice to make. But here, the people were in real danger. Back home, most treats had been dealt with.

"A chosen, huh? Funny. We have three, sort of. Chosen by the Gods, or just Hylia, I am not completely sure."

"One of them is this Link, I take?"

Teba nodded at this. "Have you heard of the story of the Triforce?"

"Triforce? What is that?"

That was a no then. So Teba began to explain. He didn't know all the details, or what was just a story weaved into what was already a legend. ***** (For those who don't know, a short explanation is at the end)

"It's interesting to note that they have a piece of the Triforce in their hand, just like you have your power source right there."

"It's more of an extra tool..." but a necessary one, as Kratos has pointed out in the past. Without it, he would have been dead a long time ago. Lloyd very much realized that.

"So if all three pieces are combined, you are all powerful?"

"Not only that, you can make a wish. Anything you could want, will be yours."

That was a terrifying thought. Lloyd wasn't sure if the Eternal Sword was even capable of that. It's a good thing Mithos isn't here, he thought while eating his soup. If he caught wind of this, he'd certainly wish for a second go.

The teen very clearly remembers his words: 'If I could do it all over again, I would.' Meaning he had no regrets of how he did it all. All the people he had hurt, taken prisoner, killed. All life was influenced by the Angel's actions, not just people. But Mithos couldn't care less. For him, only one thing mattered, his sister Martel.

"Your Goddess, Hylia. I've seen some statues of her. But she doesn't have clear features. Only those angel wings."

"No one really knows what Hylia looks like. I am not even sure about those wings. I think it's more to show how Divine she is."

"Where I come from, Angels are not seen as good or divine creatures."

Lloyd mostly mumbled this, now sipping the last of his soup and going for a second bowl.

"How come?" Teba still wanted to know. He just took half a bowl as second. Yes they didn't have any lunch, but this soup was quite filling. Good to know Lloyd liked it.

"Well, they followed direct orders from our main opponent. They were his poppets, nothing more. Emotionless, annoyingly strong poppets."

"Hm, interesting. I'd have no idea what an Angel would be like however. Divine, yes. Other than that, who knows? A lot has turned out against us."

Teba sighed and turned his eyes towards the sky. A few stars were viable, but for the most part, there were clouds. Snow was already starting to come down.

"You should have your rest soon."

"What about you? You can't keep watch all night."

"No one really ever comes up here, not even creatures."

"Huh." That was about all Lloyd could say about that. "I'll just take half a bowl of this soup."

"Really? If you were that hungry, you should have said so."

"Oh, no. I mean, yeah a little. But I just enjoy good food."

Lloyd smiled while he ladled out some more soup.

"Well, I'll tell my wife. It's her recipe." Teba smiled as well. He planned to keep some soup for later, placing the lid over the pot. Then he walked over to a wooden case, lifted it open and retrieved some fabric from it.

"A sleeping bag filled with our own feathers. This will certainly keep you warm this night."

The sleeping bag was indeed thick and Lloyd knew it was going to be super comfy to sleep in.

"I'll wake you up at sunrise. We will continue your training. Hopefully you'll get the hang of it sooner rather than later."

Lloyd laid out the fabric, having already finished his soup. "Do you know how much time there is? How long until... I don't know, this Ganon will take everything down?"

"I am not sure. He's being held up in that castle and I do not know exactly why."

"I know. It's Zelda. She spoke to me shortly, in my...mind?" Yeah, that didn't sound crazy. That's why he didn't mention seeing the ghost of this guy claiming to be the king.

"Princess Zelda? She's still alive?" A spark of hope glinted in the Rito's eyes. Lloyd didn't want to ruin it by saying he wasn't sure.

"I think. She's the one holding Ganon back, containing it...him in the castle. But I haven't heard from her since."

"What the princess is doing, is no easy feat. It surely takes a lot of strength and concentration."

Lloyd nodded at this, he could only imagine. He's seen how much concentration magic took, with Genis, Raine and sometimes Zelos. The greater the spell, the more time it took. Containing something that seemed the embodiment of evil surely wasn't easy.

He made himself comfortable in the sleeping bag, directing his gaze toward the snow that was gently coming down outside.

"Goodnight, Teba."

"Goodnight ki...Lloyd. Rest well."

It was a show of respect, that the Rito called him by name. Lloyd smiled lightly and fell asleep not long after, the falling snow having a hypnotizing effect.

* * *

Going past Dueling peaks would be suicide. Shade knew this. It was to close to Sheikah territory. It would be like walking towards the chief with your hands out and saying 'I'm your prisoner.'

No, the shadow knew better. He took a shortcut towards Hyrule field. No one would bother him. Animals were afraid of him, and the creatures and Guardians left him alone, as if they knew he was one of them.

Still, he had to think of a way to trick people into saying where the Master Sword could be found. The people were too loyal to say it under any amount of threat, they'd rather _die_.

The thought made Shade feel sick. This devotion, it was more like foolishness. Just stretching time for the inevitable to happen.

Taking of the cap was of course _not_ an option. He wasn't sure what would happen. If this was the thing keeping him here. So he'd rather not take that risk.

Mud, that would cover most of him up. But there was still one problem: his ruby like eyes. He'd have no other choice but to cover them. If they'd ask he'll just say its part of training. Ripping off a long piece of cloth from his clothing, he held it ready for when he got to the stable he saw in the distance. His white hair just got tucked away under the cap.

If it meant he would get closer to the Master Sword, it was worth it. The walk there took him about an hour. Covering up, he took his first steps towards the stable, now in plain sight. Acting hurt of course drew direct attention.

A stable girl came towards him almost immediately. Shade could have easily slit her throat right there. But he needed to resist the temptation. Playing the victim was hard enough.

"Traveler, are you alright? Here, let me help you."

The girl gave him support, taking his arm and wrapping this around her shoulder, so he could lean on her. She helped him towards the stable, where the owner was already waiting.

"What happened to you, traveler?" The man wanted to know, while helping this mud covered stranger to a seat.

"Guardian..." This one word said enough.

The owner looked him up and down. "Why are your eyes covered?"

It was clear that he was a bit more weary with strangers. Well, it's been a hundred years. It wasn't all that weird the hero wasn't instantly recognized.

"Training," was Shade's simple answer, letting it sink in.

None would be crazy enough to do such a thing. Unless you were blessed with a lot of courage. This dawned on the stable owner as well.

"My apologies, hero! I did not recognize you there. Must be all the mud. Please accept my apologies."

The man bowed his head. The girl next to him looked up at him, surprised. Then she clumsily bowed. "Is there anything you need, hero? Food, drink, some water to wash of?"

Shade had to hold back a grin, instead making a smile. This was to easy, such fools.

"The Master Sword."

"No food or drink, or rest even?"

The girl asked with a frown, he could hear that by the tone of her voice.

"Please, excuse my daughter, hero. She doesn't know enough about you. That is my fault really. But I do not know where the master sword is, if that's what you're asking."

Well, this was a waste of time. Shade already got up, ready to leave.

"But there maybe someone who does know! A man by the name of Kenneth comes by every so often with the latest rumors. He travels around by horse just to gather them and leaves them in books at every stable."

The stable owner pointed to the book laying on the other side of the table.

"Good chance something's in there. If not, he'll be here soon enough to add to it. He mostly comes by around this time."

Well, that was rather lucky. Shade should have a look at this book just in case. He nodded to the stable man and gestured he could go. This way he'd be able to take of the blindfold and look at the book. He could still hear the father and daughter's discussion in the background though.

"He just seems to be acting suspicious, that's what I think."

"That's the hero you are disrespecting. He is known for not being a talker, even being socially awkward. But he still is the one who's freeing us from Ganon, so you better respect him."

With that, the discussion was ended.

 _All that hope and respect. Put in the likes of_ you _, who let himself be in golfed in darkness. What a joke!_

He would gave it a day until this Kenneth would show up. Shade was not a very patient man. He'd just go and hunt this man down.

Nothing came from the book Shade was hiding behind. He appreciated it he was left alone. No other people came by the stable for some food or rest. Shade kind of hoped that this rumor man would come with the story of the desolated desert. But the chance of that was small.

Yiga guarded the entrance to that desert and the only stable was in the canyon well before that entrance. Getting word from deep in the desert was rare. All the more reason to make a rumor worthwhile right here, Shade thought with a grin.

It was dark out, when a horse with rider approached the stable. The owner immediately walked to the scrawny man, helping him of the horse and talking to him, pointing towards the supposed hero.

Shade held the book higher and closer, making sure his eyes weren't visible.

The man came closer, slightly bowing, standing on the other side of the small table.

"Hail, champion of champions. Hero of light, barer of the Triforce of courage!"

 _Oh great, a fan._ Shade had to restrain himself, not to give an annoyed look, not to hit this damn fanboy. At least until he heard him out. After that he will give him something he won't ever forget.

"Uh, you asked about the Master Sword? You want to know it's whereabouts?"

Shade very clearly nodded, with book and all. This guy was testing his patience immensely.

"Well, I did hear some rumors, here and there. Most were very unlikely."

Kenneth nervously laughed. He finally got the chance to meet the hero. He wanted to ask him so much, get to know him. But he shouldn't be selfish. The hero had very important things to do.

Shade felt himself shaking of anger. Keep it together. Just a bit longer. If he doesn't have anything, you can go all out! That satisfying thought calmed him down a bit.

"There is one I think is plausible; that the sword would lie deep in the Lost Woods."

Of course, the Lost Woods. As the name suggested, it was hell to find your way in there. The mist was thick and all the trees looked exactly the same. With screaming faces in them. And then those annoying Koroks, laughing away, not helping in the slightest.

And then the biggest tree would be waiting there. Old, old Deku, who spoke in his old-fashioned way and goes on about goodness for _eons_. How fun, Shade thought sarcastically.

"S-so hero. W-would you mind...maybe doing your signature stance?"

Kenneth dared to ask. Normally, this was done with the legendary weapon, being held up to the sky victoriously.

In a blink, Shade stood up, wiping of the mud and revealing his evil glowing eyes at the same time. He threw Kenneth towards the wooden wall, which cracked along with a few of the scrawny man's bones.

The shadow was quick, he was in front of the owner and his daughter within a second. Widely grinning while he held up a straight dagger. He made quite swift work of them, slicing their throats in one foul sweep.

Then he turned back to the gossip man and walked towards him. Kenneth could only watch how this terrifying thing got closer to him. Blood covering some of his dark face and hands, it's glistening red complementing those menacing eyes.

He shivered in fear when the shadow loomed over him, licking the blood of the dagger with a soft, mad laugh that grew louder.

"W-what are you?!"

Shade hunched down, to the mans eye level. "Your worst nightmare."

It was a shame the stable wasn't close to any real civilization. Kenneth then may have been saved after letting out a lot of screams. It was fruitless, he knew what. Just like begging for mercy from this...creature. But he still tried, vigorously.

Kenneth expected to be killed. The look in this creatures eyes, it was pure blood lust and madness. It seemed to know what to cut in a person without bleeding them out. Torture for hours, that's what he read out of this situation. And for what? He'd already given the information!

It was fairly short-lived, however. After a couple of well calculated cuts, the shadow leaned over him, grinning widely.

"You bring around word, don't you? Let the people know, their hero aims for their downfall, not their salvation. No hope but despair. Will you tell them?"

Shade held the dagger close under the mans head to his throat. All Kenneth could do was nod, shakily. Was this thing sparing him? Just so he could pass this message? It seemed to be the truth. Well...somewhat. He still couldn't believe this was the _real_ hero. Just another dark creature serving Ganon, hoping to cause mayhem.

The cold steel of the blade pressed against his skin. Bright red eyes, completely filled, were very close to his face.

"I see that look in your eyes. Forget about that hope. See here."

Shade held up his left hand. There was a very faint drawing on the back there, looking like a triangle; the triforce.

Kenneth's heart sank, this was solid proof. It wasn't fake, there was still a faint glow about it.

"H-how, why? What happened to you?"

Shade narrowed his eyes at these questions. "How would you like it? To be the hero over and over again? Always having to answer to that call, no matter what the circumstances. Look around. The corruption has already taken over everything. The Guardians and even the Divine Beasts have sided with Ganon. It is useless, there is no hope."

Kenneth was to believe it, knew it was true. Waiting a hundred years already was very taxing on all the people. With every year that passed and no saving in sight, hope withered like a flower.

Some even started to believe that the hero did not exists. That the whole legend was just that; a legend. A tale for those with hope to spare.

Kenneth wasn't one of them, not with what he just seen, and what he was told.

"There is a good lad."

Shade grinned, pulling back. Carefully, the man stood up, keeping a constant eye on the shadow. It gestured him to go.

"Go and tell all you meet."

Quickly nodding, shaking at the same time, Kenneth left the building right away. He couldn't help it, that his eyes drifted to the bodies of the owner and his daughter.

Good people, who were killed for no reason. He _needed_ to warn people about this threat. He mounted his horse, trying to ignore all the pain this movement brought.

The haunted visage of the shadow watched him go, eyes glowing in the night, way long after the stable disappeared out of sight.

* * *

 ***** The Triforce, also known as the Ultimate Power, is a sacred golden relic left behind by the Golden Goddesses, Din, Nayru and Farore, once they finished creating the realm, which came to be known as Hyrule. Goddess Hylia was tasked with the protection of this world and the Triforce. After Hylia ceases to exist as a goddess, the Triforce is protected by the Royal family of Hyrule, the sages and the Sheikah. The Triforce consists of three separate triangles: the Triforce of power is always depicted as the top piece, with the triforce of courage typically represented by the right piece, and the triforce of wisdom typically represented by the left piece. Although the Triforce was created by gods, it can never be used by one, possibly the goddesses' way of giving hope to all the mortal beings in Hyrule. The Triforce is the ultimate source of power in _The Legend of Zelda_ series and serves as the balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage. Each represented by a 'version' of Ganon/Ganondorf, Zelda and Link. It has the ability to grant the wish of those who obtain it, regardless of whether the person's intentions are "good" or "evil". It is said that the wish will hold true until the user of the Triforce dies. The Triforce can also change the appearance of the Secret Realm to reflect the heart of the person who enters it. It's symbol is often seen as a crest of the Royal Family. [Source: ]


	13. Chapter 11

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

When the first sunlight crept over the mountains, Lloyd was shaken awake. The Rito was holding out a hot cup of tea, which he took after rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"You talk in your sleep," Teba remarked then.

It wasn't the first time Lloyd heard this. Vera did tell him tis as well, but only once and he thought it was because he was dreaming.

"I hope that didn't keep you up?"

Teba shook his head. "Nah kid, no worries. I got some bread if you like."

Of course, Lloyd nodded, he would never say no to food. Well... except for the professor's.

"Do you miss your home?"

The Rito asked while passing him some bread. He then brought the fire pit back to life that had been smouldering over night to give them a bit of warmth.

Lloyd scratched the back of his neck, as if embarrassed. "I've been traveling around for a long time. I like the freedom, the new sights and new people you meet, learning new things along the way. This is a different world, but not to different. It's interesting. But... I do miss my friends. I was together with them for a long time. Here, I'm kind of on my own. I'm not used to that. I do appreciate Vera's company and guidance."

Teba raised an eyebrow at this, eating the least of his bread.

"Oh, she's a Sheikah I came across. Guess I was lucky with that. I wouldn't have known what to do or where to go and all that."

Lloyd was done with his bread as well. He didn't want to ask more. The Rito expected to be here alone, so there wouldn't be enough food. He could hold up for a while, not being a foody.

"You think you're ready to train some more?" Teba stood up and looked down at Lloyd.

"Yeah. The sooner, the better, right?"

The teen got to his feet and smiled. A satisfied nod came from Teba. He took the bow from the wall and gave it to Lloyd.

"You can do it. Just concentrate and become one with your bow."

"I know."

Lloyd didn't mind the Rito repeating himself, if it also showed his trust in him. Being pushed up by a strong current of air was strange enough. But also having to shoot targets, keeping the bow still (as well as yourself) and hitting those targets, preferably head on.

Next to that the real deal would be different. Teba carrying him and them having to drop Lloyd, in order for him to shoot the canons. While also deploying the cloth or else he'd fall to his death.

And time. It seemed of the essence. Though there was no real indication, people seemed convinced it was getting worse, so that was a sign. But there was doing something fast and doing something right.

Fast was risky, though Lloyd was more the type to just go in. But he knew it wasn't the smart thing to do here. Hopefully this wouldn't take too long.

Teba gave some good pointers. Finally, the teen was hitting the targets while floating. This was good, and certainly commendable for such a short time training. And the Rito himself knew that there was little time. This kid had to go through four Divine Beast before Calamity Ganon gets out and brings everything left to ruin.

So, when Lloyd set down for some rest, he made some tea for them. Giving him the simple tin cup, steaming of hot contains, he asked: "Do you think you are ready? Think about this. It's really important. We got one shot at this."

"Huh, just one?" Confused, Lloyd looked at the Rito, who gave a serious nod.

"It is just the two of us, kid."

In other words, their chances were slim. If either one of them got hit, it was over. Lloyd wouldn't be albe to shoot anymore, and Teba not able to fly. He shook his head, shaking off this thought.

"We have to try. Keep hope."

"Very well. We can take off to the sky then."

They nodded to each other. Both were aware of the risks, but still willing to go through with it if it meant they could set free all the Rito.

Teba moved his wings, almost gracefully so. When he was just above the ground, he picked up Lloyd carefully, closing his claws around the teen's arms, as close to his shoulders as possible.

With a jerk, they rose up, into the sky. It was kind of like flying a Rheiard, which were very fast and agile. Teba wasn't as fast as a machine of course, but he sure was as mobile.

The shape of the Divine Beast was in sight and they were approaching it quickly. Its defence system was also quick to react; a laser shot in their direction, which Teba nimbly dodged.

"I will get you close and count down. I will drop you, and then it's on you to shoot the closest canon. I will come around to get you and we repeat until all the canons are down!"

Teba was pretty clear to hear, even though the winds were pretty loud this high up. Lloyd nodded to the Rito, constantly telling himself not to look down.

They approached the Beast from the back. There was a canon covering its tail, both wings and its head.

There was no was Lloyd could hit more than one canon in one shot, which was what he kind of hoping for. They were too far apart to try that, especially for a novice archer.

"Alright, three, two, one, go!"

The sheer rush the moment Teba let him go, did surprise Lloyd. The air rushing up against him, the speed as he fell and the full anticipation. It was a lot at once.

Lloyd had to quickly pull at a rope, which would let the sail cloth up. It successfully caught him and really slowed down his momentum, thank the Goddess.

The teen took out his bow, an arrow and put them together. Now came the hard part; forgetting everything for a moment and just concentrate on the target. This while hanging from a piece of cloth, very high up in the sky, being targeted by things that shot lasers.

Teba was doing his part of distracting this defence system, but how long could he keep that up? One good shot and it was over. Lloyd had to work fast if he didn't want either of them to get hurt.

The song of Colette, the memory of her soothing voice, was what really helped him out. A calm, warm feeling washed over him and he let the arrow fly. It was a good hit. Sparks flew of the canon and then exploded.

The Rito was there the next moment, closing his claws around Lloyd's arms, flying up.

"Good job! Let's go for the next."

Again, Lloyd just nodded. He knew his voice wouldn't carry over the noise. To his surprise, all the canons went down just as easy. Certainly, when he got the hang of it. But with the last one down (the right wing), Teba didn't come around to pick him up.

The teen saw the protective shield vanish, while he slowly floated towards the platform at the tail that gave access to the Beast.

"Teba?!"

Lloyd called out while he looked around. Did the Rito fall? Oh no... what if he had to bring this news his wife, and his young son? He was hurt because of him!

"Sorry kid, I can't join you."

The Rito came around, with a very clear wound, burned skin and feathers all over his left leg.

"I have to go back. Can you do this?" It was clear Teba was in pain, but he tried to hide it.

"Yeah... don't worry. I can do this. You get the help you need."

Teba nodded to him, a faint smile on his beak. "I believe in you, ki- Lloyd."

After this, he soared down, quickly getting out of sight. Lloyd had to focus on the task at hand. He had no real clue what was awaiting him inside this big thing.

With some steering, he landed on the platform, which just led to a big, closed door. In front of it, was the same kind of pedestal as in the Shrine he woke up in. So, he knew he had to hold up the slate against it.

After folding up and putting away the sail, Lloyd stepped towards the pedestal. But suddenly, a voice rang out to him.

"What do you think you are doing? You have no business here, shorty!"

"Shorty?"

Lloyd looked around, for the source of this rude, male voice. There was no one to be seen, oddly enough.

"Only that blond fool is allowed in. Or was he too busy and just send you instead? Does he find himself to important?"

The voice scoffed. It didn't really sound hateful though. But rather annoyed.

"I don't know who you are and why you got a strife with him, but I'm just here to help. The Rito deserve to be free."

"Hah! I am Revali, Rito Champion. Renowned and celebrated. You don't have the way in, shorty. Your effort was a waste."

"Well then, what's this?"

Lloyd got out the slate and held it up. He still wasn't sure where this guy was. This seemed much like the time he spoke to Zelda.

"A smart ass, hm?"

"Look, I just want to calm this thing down so the poor people below don't have to suffer under it any more. So, you can either help me or keep being a jerk."

After having said this, Lloyd put the slate up to the pedestal. The big door slid up, revealing stairs up into the Beast itself.

"Hmf. Fine. You're gonna need the map first. Get to the Guidance Stone at the back. Good luck."

The voice scuffed again and it got quiet. So much for a warm welcome. Oh well, he was doing it for the Rito, not this grumpy Champion.

From what he understood, Revali died a hundred years ago. So, was Lloyd talking to a ghost, again? Was that just a normal think in this world?

Focus! This map, he apparently needed it. But it seemed there were obstacles in the way. Purple goo connected to an eye that summoned floating skulls. Puzzles that reminded him of using the Elemental ring, but in this case, the Slate came in handy. And enemies in the form of small Guardians.

It was all not that much of a problem. It really helped that Lloyd had experience with most of this stuff, only in a slightly different way.

The Guidance stone dripped its weird fluid that was also non-fluid on the Slate, which revealed the map.

"There are five terminals marked on that map. You will need to get all of them to unlock the main terminal up above. Think you are up for that?"

Why add that? Was that really necessary? Of course, Lloyd didn't bother to comment to Revali, taking a good look at the map. There were five glowing points, all along the wings of Vah Medoh.

"Hm, what is this?"

The teen tapped the arrows that hovered over the image. Suddenly, everything started to move. The whole Beast slanted to the right. Luckily, there was a pillar in his way, to catch him from falling a longer way down. But also, sadly there was a pillar in the way, and it hurt.

He swore heard could hear the voice of Revali laugh. Mumbling to himself, Lloyd managed to touch the arrows again and set everything back. This time he also noticed some things move along with it that he wasn't able to move himself.

So, this mechanic was part of the puzzle now. That was interesting. He was used to having really smart people around to help out with puzzles. Not that Lloyd was really stupid. He was just more of an action kind of guy.

There were enemies to fight, but they all were fairly simple to defeat. This corruption thing didn't seem so threatening.

After some tricky slanting, Lloyd got all the terminals and he found a way to the top. It brought him out to the back of Vah Medoh, which was a pretty vast surface. Right in the middle, was a big bulb like structure, covered by more of the purple stuff.

"That's the main terminal. Put the slate in there to regain control."

Nothing witty came from Revali this time. Good, Lloyd didn't need that. It was just as simple. Maybe a little too simple...

Everything started to shake. The purple goo was glowing, dark shadows rising from it. These shadows twisted together to form into one, big thing. It was mostly a blob, distorted with weird growths and one very prominent glowing eye. One of its arms had the shape of a canon, almost like Forcystus, but much bulkier.

The thing gave a terrifying, almost deafening screech.

"What is that?!"

"A manifestation of malice and Ganon. This is what got me. I lost because I was winging it. Can't believe I'm saying this, but you must avenge me! Take it down!"

Geez, now he decides to cheer for me. Arming himself with the two swords, Lloyd looked up to this monster.

It was big and hard to say what is was made of. A tornado came out of nowhere, right towards him. He barely managed to roll out of the way.

In the corner of his eye, Lloyd saw the monster turn into a ball and float to another place, where it changed back again. A charging sound could be heard and the next moment, it shot lasers form its canon.

Lloyd used rolls and jumps to dodge them. Again, the monster changed and switched location. So, it was fast and had a good aim. It was expected it could manipulate air. But it wasn't really fair it was floating high above the surface.

However, the teen did notice air flow coming out of vents of Vah Medoh. If he used the para sail, it could lift him high enough to attack this thing. All while keeping eyes out for its attacks.

It was some getting used to, having to fight something big all alone. So yes, it took a few tires and hits, before Lloyd finally got his own hits in. This wasn't going to last. He felt like he was at a disadvantage. But he wasn't one to give up or retreat. Probably wouldn't even be able to.

After a few good hits from Lloyd, the monster gave its screech again and four small, flying things appeared. They acted like turrets, rapidly firing lasers at him. Now, the teen had to dodge that, the tornado's and the lasers coming from the big arm canon.

This was becoming too much to handle. The teen was just one guy with a couple of swords. Panting from all the effort, he was definitely feeling the fatigue and his sharpness lessen. This caused the monster to show up right behind him and slice at him with its claw.

"Argh!" Lloyd tried to create some distance by rolling.

Blood seeped out of the wound, running over his right side. Also, when he got to his feet, some blood came down from his head, dripping over his eyes. Was he seriously going to die here? After all he had been through, was he gonna die here, in another world?

* * *

Kratos flew high above the land, having no intend to take in the sights. Now he knew Lloyd was here, he was the first priority. He had to be sure the kid was safe.

The place between the mountains was easy to spot from up above. Kratos went down and smoothly landed on his feet, in the middle of the village.

The people there looked upon him with sheer shock, as if they couldn't process what they were seeing. A guard shaking, pointed his spear at him.

"H-halt, in the name of chief Impa!"

Kratos of course not impressed, looked at the building that was being guarded. The chief must be there, and was sure to know more. So, he high jumped over the guard and floated just above the stairs leading to the building.

A young woman tried to stand in his way. The Seraphim did think this could be the chief. But then she was called back by and old voice. The elderly, small lady on the pile of pillows, seem more to fit the title. And she didn't be taken aback at all.

"I would appreciate you not scaring my people, stranger."

"C-chief I-Impa." Paya was very clearly afraid, slowly getting to her grandmother's side. She swore to protect her after all, even form something as intimidating as a man with glowing wings.

"I'll leave as soon as you tell me where Lloyd Irving is. A young man with..."

"Lloyd? W-what do you want with him? He is a good person, don't you h-hurt him!"

"Paya, calm down please. He means no harm for now. Right?"

"That depends on what you know."

"Lloyd wen toward the north west. A big structure in a ravine. But he went there by his own choice." Impa kept calm, even slightly smiling.

"I do not care."

That was all Kratos had to say to that. How could he trust this lady's word? Well, it was his only lead, and he would find out soon enough if she was lying. He turned around and flew back up into the sky, going in the direction he was given.

* * *

The monster aimed its arm canon right at Lloyd. Damnit, this can't be where it ends! Not here, not now.!

Light flared up from the exsphere, piercing straight through the glove. Lloyd yelled out while launching himself up.

"Rising Falcon!"

Aiming right for the one eye of the monster, he stabbed both his swords deep, until their hilts. The monster gave a last, horrible screech before fading away like shadows.

Lloyd landed on his feet with a flourish. Surprised he looked at his left hand, light fading inside the exsphere. Why did it work all of a sudden?

"Well... I must admit that was impressive. Now finish what you started."

Revali pulled him out of his daze. The pain hit him like a truck, grabbing at his side, which was still bleeding. Gritting his teeth, Lloyd walked back to the terminal, putting the slate in the slot. It glowed and a buzz seemed to go through everything.

Vah Medow let out a loud caw and set on a certain course. The slate popped back up out and Lloyd took it back, not sure what just happened.

"Who would have thought? Someone like you pulling this off."

A Rito suddenly appeared, surrounded by glowing lights. His feathers had a dark blue or purple colour and he was wearing a rich attire. This must be Revali, or rather, his spirit.

"I suppose I should thank you now that my spirit is free. This returns Medoh back to its rightful owner. Don't command yourself to much. You almost died back there. But you've proven yourself value as a warrior. A warrior worthy of my unique ability. The sacred skill I have dubbed Revali's Gale!"

The Rito made some fancy moves and send a green glowing orb right into Lloyd. A rush filled him and then the air swept around him, blowing upwards. It even lifted him up a bit.

"It's now time to move on and start making preparation for Medoh's strike on Ganong. But only if you are still up for the challenge. Do you really want to help everyone? You will have more fights ahead of you."

Revali gave him a look. Even with his conscience fading, Lloyd could still give a firm nod.

"Very well, Medoh will land soon and do its part. _We_ will do our part in the fight against Ganon. Try to stay alive for that, okay?"

Lloyd was very tempted to retort, but all he wanted to do now, was sleep...

* * *

It was a strange feeling for Kratos. His power was getting drained, so he quickly had to get to the ground before he lost his ability to fly.

What was causing him to lose all of that? It seemed very out of nowhere. And now, he would have to walk. How annoying.

Not long after Kratos had landed, a red beam shot past high above his head. It seemed to go almost towards the centre of the land. He followed it with his eyes, wondering if this was connected with him losing his power.

A horse and carriage came up, driven by a middle-aged man.

"Hey there, stranger. Admiring the fireworks?" The man laughed.

"What is it? What does it mean?"

"Ah, it is something of legends, no real surprise you do not know. I do not know all the details myself, but it is a step toward being freed of all the bad stuff going on."

"I see. Which way are you going?" Kratos eyed the horse. It didn't seem in great condition, but probably will have to do.

"As it happens, the north-west, where the beam came from. Actually, was plannin to bring supplies to the stable. But now it seems the Rito will be back in business. They must be starvin'."

"Well, you should hurry then. Can I ride along?"

"Sure thing, hop on the back. I'll put some spirit into this one."

The man whipped the reigns and they moved at a fair pace. Kratos _had_ considered just taking the horse for himself. But he wasn't that bad, to keep food from the hungry.

Still, it was a bit worrisome this beam came from the same direction Lloyd had gone. Was it connected to this legend the man mentioned?

Sure, he knew Lloyd could hold his own well enough. He had proved himself well enough. But being his father...he was still worried.

"How long until we get there?"

"Oh, with a bit of luck, two days."

How annoying. With his wings, he would have been there much faster. But no use thinking of things you no longer can use. He had to be patient and just hope for the best. This was a different world after all. It had different rules they had to hold too.


	14. Chapter 12

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

Before you start reading, I wanted to address some things. I base my fanfic on a mix between the game ToS and the anime, tough I keep most of the story of the game. Also I made the environments around the Beasts a bit more harsh, because I found that a bit lacking in BotW. Sorry if I'm slow with uploading this. On paper, I am further, but I always think things 3 times over before I actually type it out on the computer. Am I crazy for doing that? Oh well, thats just how I work. Also I wanted to note I have another fanfic up now, called 'Change of Heart'. Please check it out, its a pure ToS fanfic. With all this said, please have fun reading and consider writing a review? Thanks alot! -Asotte.

* * *

Green grass stretched out as far as the eye could see. It flowed up and down like waves of the sea, gently bending to the slight wind blowing.

Lloyd knew he'd find Colette here. It was her favorite place to go. He spotted the girl in the distance, wind playing with her golden locks.

"Hey, Colette!" He called out to her, while heading her way.

She turned around. He was expecting to see her sweet smile. But no. It was her empty stare. The soulless husk she was when she was being prepared as Martel's vessel.

Lloyd started to run towards her, but for some reason, he didn't get any closer, as if something was pushing him back constantly.

"Colette, Colette!"

A voice answered him, distant and hard to understand. He chose to ignore it for now.

"Colette, please. Come back to me!"

"...oyd. Lloyd, wake up!"

With a start, the teen sat up, pain shooting up from his side. He started swinging and he realized he was in a hammock, but a little too late. He face-planted on the floor (luckily it was just a short distance).

"Auch..."

"Lloyd, are you okay?"

The voice, he now could identify as Teba, came from his side, a short distance away.

The teen sat up, feeling again a sting in his side. He spotted Teba, who was in his own hammock, looking worried at him. His left leg was completely wrapped up in bandages. He looked tired as well.

Lloyd discovered bandages on his own side, covering the wound up that the boss had given him.

"You were yelling in your sleep." The Rito said after a moment of silence.

"Oh...I'm sorry." That was just a dream? It seemed so real. But good, just a dream. I don't want to see Colette like that ever again.

"Are you feeling alright?"

With some trouble, the Rito came out of the hammock and half hopped over to Lloyd to offer him a hand so he could stand up.

"Hm. I'll be okay." As long as he won't touch his wound, it will be good over time. For now, he had to live with the pain, just like Teba did.

"Well, you did it, kid. You tamed the Beast."

Teba pointed up. Lloyd followed his feathered finger with his eyes. There, on top of the structure of rocks, at the point that stuck out, sat Vah Medow, like a giant bird sitting on a stick. A beam of red light came out of its beak, shooting of into the distance.

"Is that good?" Lloyd asked, following the beam with his eyes, having no clue where it was going.

"Yes, it is. The first step towards defeating Ganon."

"Right. Revali said something like that."

Lloyd rubbed his head, which was also lightly wrapped in a bondage.

"You...you spoke with him?" The surprise and disbelieve were clear in the Rito's voice.

"Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. He was a bit of a jerk. But he gave me something. His special ability?"

"Revali's Gale? He gave that to you?" Now, there was just the utter surprise.

"I guess so. It seemed to move air up around me."

"Having your own personal updraft, can be very useful. With that glider you have, it can certainly send you up a good distance.

Lloyd frowned at this. It sounded like something the summon spirit of wind would be able to do. Were there more similarities between their worlds then he first thought, only in a slightly different way?

"Daddy!"

The enthusiastic, young kids voice, shook Lloyd out of his thoughts. A small Rito chick ran towards Teba and he caught him in a most adorable hug.

"Geez, two stubborn men. Already out of bed, not taking their well-earned rest."

Saki was close behind her chick, crossing her arms and looking at the both of them. She wanted to look stern, but she couldn't wipe the content smile of her face. Now she looked so much more friendly.

"You are heroes!" The chick chimed as he jumped towards Lloyd. "Thank you for helping us, mister."

Awkward, the teen scratched the back of his head. "I'm no hero, or a mister. I'm just Lloyd, kiddo."

"So modest." Saki commented. "I'd like to thank you still. We now have our freedom back and no longer have to live in fear."

The female Rito stepped towards him an took his right hand to shake it. Only now did Lloyd notice the bondage around his left hand that almost completely covered it. It _did_ feel like it was bruised. Did the force of his arte really make this happen?

"I'm just happy to help." Lloyd smiled to her.

"Lloyd!"

Vera's voice called out and before he knew it, the teen was stuck in a pretty strong hug. It really pressed down on the wound on his side.

"Auw, not that hard."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

Vera immediately let go, taking a step back and looking him over. She wasn't wearing her mouth cover and it seemed almost like she was lightly blushing.

Only when looking down on himself, Lloyd realized he was half naked. Well, this was awkward. Thank goodness they at least left some pants on him.

"Are you badly hurt? What are you doing up?!"

Vera's turned from worry to angry. Jup, there was the Vera he knew.

"It's really not all that bad. Most are scratches and slight burn from the boss."

"The boss?" The Sheikah frowned at this term.

"You know, the strongest thing at the end of a dungeon?" He looked between them all, but was just met with confused looks. Guess that was more of a thing from back home.

"It's good to see you are mostly okay." Vera still eyed him worryingly.

"Ah, I'll walk that off." He waved her worries away.

"You'll get that chance. This was the first step, just three more Beasts to go," Teba remarked.

He was met with a look, a combination of realization and worry. It made him worried himself.

"You...did realize that, didn't you?"

I had so much trouble with this one, Lloyd thought to himself. I just got very lucky somehow. How am I going to take on three more of those?

The teen carefully felt his left hand. It was as if it was hit on by a hammer. Dammit.

"Lloyd? Maybe you should lie own. Get some more rest."

Vera already gingerly pushed him back, towards a normal bed.

 _Wait, they had normal beds? Why was I in a hammock then?_

"I'll take you home with me, hubby."

Saki offered herself to lean on, and Teba took it. He had no real choice with all the stairs coming up.

"See you later, ki...Lloyd. And for the record: you _are_ a hero."

The male Rite smiled at Lloyd and went along with his wife, their chick happily hopping along with them.

Just the sight of that, relaxed Lloyd, as he slightly smiled and sat down on the bed. Vere looked over the bondage around his torso.

"I think this needs cleaning up. I'm going to check your wound."

She gave him no real time to object, already removing the white cloth, slightly tainted red. Vera looked at him for a moment while doing this.

"I know a thing or two about wound treatment. You got to be able to patch yourself up after a fight, as a Sheikah."

Lloyd just nodded to this, letting her do her thing. The Sheikah studied the wound for a moment.

"Pretty nasty. What happened up there?"

The teen wondered this as well. He was used to a lot of things. Fighting monsters, Angels, Gods... Why was he having trouble with this thing?

"Revali called it a manifestation of Ganon, made out of the malice around."

Vera frowned, while still tending to the wound. It stung, whatever she was doing. At this point, Lloyd really missed professor Raine's healing artes. They weren't as painful. But he didn't want to complain, so he just bit through it.

"Revali, the Rito Champion? Isn't he long dead?"

"Well yeah. His spirit spoke to me."

Hell, I must sound crazy, Lloyd thought to himself. The Sheikah started wrapping him in new bandages.

"You have some old battle scars," she couldn't help but notice. "But they look very well healed. May I ask from how long ago they are?"

Lloyd had to take a moment to think about this. "Four, maybe five months?"

"But, that's impossible." Vera almost choked.

"What can I say? Professor Raine is a great healer," he shrugged.

Vera did not know what to say to that, she didn't understand, once again, what he meant. So she just finished wrapping him up.

"There, that will do for now. Lay down and take your rest."

"Aren't we in a hurry? I mean, I wouldn't exactly know how much time there is, Zelda didn't tell me."

Fed up, the Sheikah pushed him down onto the bed.

"You can't do much in a hurt and tired state. You might not feel it now, but that is just an adrenaline rush."

Vera noticed the bondage on his left hand and wanted to reach for that, but Lloyd pulled back.

"I'm fine."

"Did you use it?" The Sheikah looked at him, worried but also fascinated at the same time.

Did he really make her open up this much? That she now was comfortable enough to show her real emotions? Not that he would complain, Lloyd wore his own emotions on his sleeve after all.

"It sort of happened. I don't know how or why, but suddenly I had this surge of energy and it helped bringing the boss down."

"Maybe because you found yourself in a dire situation?"

The teen shook his head. "I don't think so. Something gave me the necessary mana. I just don't know what."

He sighed and turned his head to the Sheikah. "Did you find any clues?"

"Not really." She shook her head gloomy. "Just a weird, wooden sign in the middle of nowhere. But no one knows what that is about."

Lloyd frowned at this. "What did the sign say?"

"Something about a monster shop. But I saw nothing and I doubted it had something to do with Link."

"Hm, too bad."

"I told you to get some rest. Stop stalling." Vera said, becoming impatient.

"I don't think I can. Unless...can you sing?"

Taken aback by this question, Vera looked at the teen, hoping he was joking. But she could see he was serious.

"Not really. But I do know how to play the lyre if you need music to sooth you."

Now it was Lloyd's turn to be surprised. "Lyre, that's like a small harp, right? You can play that?"

"Well yes. It is a sort of tradition in the Sheikah tribe to be able to play a harp."

Vera had a small backpack she reached for and pulled out the instrument. It was clear that the Sheikah was out of her comfort zone, but she was still willing to do this for Lloyd's sake.

The melody that she played was a calming ballad. One passed down from generations. It was one of the few she knew by heart.

It didn't take long for Lloyd to be lolled to sleep. Waiting a few more minutes, Vera figured this was the best time to check his hand.

Very carefully, she unwrapped it. Lloyd was a deep sleeper; she had come to learn. He would heavily snore if he wasn't haunted by one of his 'memory dreams' as the Sheikah dubbed them.

There was a sure shine in the blue gem, that normally had been dormant and dull. It didn't feel like magic. It had something mysterious and yet strong. It was fascinating, but frightening at the same time.

His hand didn't look too bad though, she didn't really spot any injuries on it. Strange that it was bandaged then. Her fingers graced his palm for a moment and she felt Lloyd flinch in an instant. Did she hurt him somehow? But then, he started mumbling.

"Colette, you've...lost your voice?"

The sheer emotion, the sadness and pain in those words, shook Vera. It hit her to the very core, in more ways then she'd like to admit and she quickly let go of his hand.

* * *

The road was bumpy and silent. Well, from Kratos his side. The rider of the cart was whistling a tune, having already discovered that his passenger wasn't much of a talker.

When they abruptly stopped, Kratos looked towards the man upfront. "Why did we stop?"

"Flying Guardians. Very dangerous."

He followed the man's gaze up. There were drone like contraptions, seemingly guarding the road ahead.

"This is the only way to get to the village," the rider said.

Kratos rose up and jumped of the cart. Without a word, he walked up towards these so called Guardians.

"Wait, what are you doing?!"

Kratos didn't answer the startled man. He drew his faithful sword, looking up at the first drone.

The man watched in awe, while this tall, brown-red haired man jumped up inhumanly high, swinging a sword at the Guardian. It blew up after this one attack. The sword wielding man almost seemed to be flying, as the two Guardians were taken down just as quickly.

Kratos landed neatly on his feet and calmly walked back, as if nothing had happened. When he walked past the man on the cart, he said tonelessly: "Shall we get going?"

"Uhm..." The man didn't know what to say, taken aback. Kratos got back on the cart.

Who was this man he almost seemed like he was flying? Who so effortlessly took care of three Guardians at once? The salesman had so many questions, but Kratos did not look like someone who would give answers, being silent as ever.

If this is all this place has to offer, Kratos thought to himself, maybe I have nothing to worry about as for Lloyd's well being. But he would be more at peace to _see_ this for himself.

* * *

When Lloyd woke, it was early in the morning, the sky still in a glow from the rising sun. He looked around, finding Vera, sitting at a small distance on a stool, reading a book which had a simple green cover. Her red eyes darted up, looking over the book towards Lloyd.

"Ah, you are awake. How do you feel?" She closed the book and put it aside.

"Hm, better."

The pain in his side was more of a sore now. And he didn't feel any in his left hand. He did notice the bondage was missing there. He clenched his fist for a moment and released. No strain, good. And the Exphere was still glowing faintly. Interesting.

Lloyd stood up and stretched out, feeling quite invigorated. "Ah, I feel good as new, really."

"Very good."

The Sheikah stood up from her chair. It almost felt like she was keeping some distance on purpose. But Lloyd didn't look too much into it.

"The chief would like to talk to us."

Lloyd nodded and looked around, finding his upper clothes close by. He quickly got this back on, along with his pack of important stuff. The swords were at the side of the bed.

All geared up again, he walked out, back up to the top of the summit. There was a little sting at his side, but other than that, Lloyd felt fine.

The Rito he passed all either thanked him or gave him a pad on the shoulder, commending him. It did feel pretty good, to be honest. But Lloyd was still humble about it all.

The chief received the both of them happily, mostly shaking Lloyd's hand with his big feathers.

"Thank you so much, for freeing us from the Divine Beast. You are truly a hero. We really owe you."

"I just did what anyone else would do, really."

"You could in return have your people fly around to look for Link," remarked Vera in a tone as if she was making a business proposal.

The teen looked at her for a moment, but she was unreadable. He looked back at the chief, apologetically.

"If they are able to, of course," he added.

"Well, I did figure you could use some fast transport. I have two Rito whom are willing to carry you to the stable in front of the foot of the mountain and volcano. I do assume you are going there next?"

"It is the closest." Vera nodded.

"But what about our horses? I take it those Rito aren't gonna take us everywhere. I don't really want to impose that either."

Lloyd felt bad that the Rito will have to carry them.

"It is no trouble, young one," the Chief hooted with a smile. "The road there is dangerous. We can ask the stable master to send your horses that way. They have a special way of doing this."

It seemed the chief was very set on this, so Lloyd just nodded thankfully.

"As for your request, Sheikah. Of course, my people will be on the lookout for Link. He has to be found, and the sooner the better. Who knows what kind of trouble or pain the poor fellow is in?"

"Do be careful who you trust with that information. Some are wolves in sheeps clothing."

The chief gave a thoughtful nod. "Well, I can ask the two Rito to come to the flying pad so you can be on your way."

"I would like to see Teba first, say my goodbye's before we go." Lloyd smiled his goofy smile.

"I am sure they do not mind waiting a bit. Thank you again. We will never forget your efforts." The chief said to the both of them, realizing that the Sheikah did put in her own work, getting Lloyd here. She bowed and he just held up his hand in greeting.

After this, they walked to the place which Teba called home. Still, something was bothering Lloyd.

"Vera, did I say something wrong?"

"Hm?" She looked over her shoulder to him.

"You are acting very different from yesterday."

"Well. It was my own mistake of letting my emotions out. It will not happen again."

Unexpectedly, Lloyd grabbed her by the wrist with some force. He turned her to face him fully. The look in his eyes...it was almost like they were burning. But was it fury or passion? That was hard to say.

"Don't you dare. Emotions are part of you. What makes you, you. Don't ever, ever disregard them. It is like disregarding yourself."

After this, Lloyd let go of her wrist and walked on, passed her. Vera stood still for a moment. Was she intimidated, or even scared? That wasn't fury or passion, it was pure hurt. Speaking from experience, she could just tell.

"Uh, knock, knock? You don't have a door..." Lloyd said while standing in front of the home.

Saki looked at him with a smile and ushered him in. Teba was sitting in a big armchair, his hurt leg prompted up.

Their young son was happily playing with him, through wooden toys. It was a pretty cute sight, considering how stern Teba acted at first.

"I guess this means you are leaving?"

The male Rito looked to him, a smile on his beak. He was satisfied, content, happy. That was also nice to see.

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah, there is still some work to be done."

"I'm sure we'll see each other again. I am going to spread my wings soon, but this time, the whole world is open. This little one can finally see it all."

Teba laid his feathered hand on his son's head.

"I can't wait, papa!"

The teen smiled at this, walking to Teba and holding out his hand.

"Thanks for your help. And for teaching me, I mean having patience with me."

Teba took his wrist for the handshake. "I'm sorry if I was harsh on you. You're a good kid. No, a great _man_ , Lloyd. Thank you, for everything."

They nodded to each other. Saki gave Lloyd some food for on the road and told him and Vera (who was standing at the entrance) to take care.

After this, it was time to walk to the flying pad. It was the ideal place to go up to the sky for the Rito.

"Lloyd, I'm...sorry." Vera said it softly, looking guilty. "I didn't mean to upset you like that. The way of the Sheikah is not easy, I also am an orphan, but that is no excuse."

"Wait, you don't have your parents anymore?"

"No. I was little when they passed. They were defending people, like a Sheikah is sworn to do."

Vera did look sad at this, torn even. The teen felt bad for her. Why didn't he know this? Probably because it was something, she rather kept to herself.

"I'm really sorry to hear that. I had no idea."

"It's not really something that can be helped. I rather not talk about it." Partly because she didn't want people to feel sorry for her or be reminded of the pain.

It was why she dived in on becoming a Sheikah. Anything to get her mind of it. It wasn't really made for young girls, but she insisted and there was a need for more trained Sheikah.

"I lost my mom at a very young age. I don't even really remember much about her."

Guilt fully, Lloyd caressed his Expshere. "I still feel she is with me, but not only because of this. She'll always be in my heart. Yes, it can be painful, but it's also a comforting idea. I fight for my friends, the ones in love."

Lloyd laid a hand on his heart. The Sheikah nodded slowly, a small smile appearing on her face.

"That is a nice idea. You really must have a lot of friends that appreciate you for this kindness and understanding. Colette is a lucky girl to have you."

"Uh, we aren't – I mean..."

His face turned red like a tomato. Lloyd turned away embarrassed. "Let's get going."

Interesting. Vera wasn't sure what to think of this reaction. But she wasn't going to ask. Maybe later, when the time was right. A ride, or rather, a flight was awaiting them.

"Our savior! And the Sheikah. We are honored to help you out."

The two Rito bowed to them, they were both female. "Are you ready to go?"

"Oh, hold on." Lloyd took of the warm jacket and offered it to Vera. "It's pretty cold up in the sky."

"What about you?" She blinked, surprised but appreciative of his gesture.

"I'll be fine. Let's go." He smiled and that was it.

They were picked up and carried to their next destination.


	15. Chapter 13

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

Shorter chapter, will be followed by a pretty long one. Please consider leaving a review or a nice comment (Thanks so much for thinking along, EMP!).

* * *

Kratos did not much like how long the ride took. It was still faster than walking of course, but still, the temptation to just take the horse and go rose. But he chose to ignore this. It seemed the people were struggling as is. He wasn't heartless.

Finally, they stopped at the building shaped like a horse's head. The stone structure close by had an interesting shape, but what really caught Kratos his eye, was the giant bird sitting on the very top. The red beam seemed to originate from there.

"That's Rito village, alright. Watch your step on the bridges, it could still be a long fall." The merchant said.

Kratos just nodded and walked to the first, long bridge.

"Thank you for your help, stranger!" The man waved.

There was no look back, or even a gesture from said stranger. He just went on to cross over. None of the bridges were a real problem.

He didn't bat an eye at the deep, deep ravine down below. Kratos was used to these kinds of heights after all. To his surprise, a harpy greeted him by the entrance of the village itself. No, not a harpy. This one was more bird like and much taller.

The bird raised up a feathered arm, Kratos drew his sword in response and held it up to the creature's neck.

"Wow, easy there."

A monster that can talk. How interesting. But Kratos did not back down, staring intently at this creature.

"Have you seen a boy, around seventeen, messy brown hair and almost the same color eyes?"

"That sounds like... the one who helped us out with the Divine Beast."

Kratos held up his sword even closer, gracing the bird's feathers. He audibly gulped as a reaction.

"Where?"

"H-he left. Towards the volcano area." The bird held up his feathers disarmingly.

There was a volcano, Kratos had spotted it while he was flying. It was far to the east from here. Damn, why did my wings stop working? This could go so much faster!

"There is a good chance he'll go to the water domain after that. Maybe you have a bigger chance of meeting him there," opted the clearly scared bird.

"Which way is that?"

Anyone should know that. Of course, the Rito didn't say this out loud. It may as well cost him his head.

"South-east. Follow the river upstream. You can't miss it."

"Good. Now die, monster."

Kratos reeled back his sword for an attack. The bird fell to his knees and began to beg.

"Please, no, have mercy! I am no monster. None of us are! Please, I have little chicks. Now that we are finally free, I can show them the word. I promised them as their father."

What? Kratos looked passed the creature. He spotted a few chicks running around, trying to fly and laughing cheerfully. This was certainly not the behavior of a typical monster.

Slowly, he lowered his sword. Lloyd had a good heart, too good for his own. But he helped these creatures out, somehow. There must have been a good reason for that.

East it will be than. I am not going to keep chasing after him. Instead, I will be ahead, waiting. He'd better have a good reason for all of this.

The Rito sighed with relieve when the man turned around and left without saying another word. Sure, he was used to fighting of evil creatures, but this was something completely different. This man just had that very powerful feel about him. Hopefully he didn't mean any harm to their savior.

* * *

The road to the Lost Woods would be terrible for anyone. But not for Shade. Even the Guardians seemed to leave him alone. So, he got there pretty fast.

He tied the horse to a tree, close to the entrance. It of course wasn't happy, but he didn't care. He was loathing what was ahead. It was going to be a real pain. It better be worth it. That sword better be there.

The fog was faint at first. But it got thicker up ahead. It really was true to its name, this place. Laughter could be heard. Shade knew those were the annoying little seeds of that foolish old tree.

He was in no mood for puzzles, or walking around aimlessly. So, he listened for that laughter and sneaked closer. With a quick grab, he got a hold of one of the little coroc seeds.

The little thing struggled in the tight grip, but it was useless. Widely grinning, Shade looked down on it.

"Point me to your old man. If not, I will let you and all your little brothers suffer." With his hand, he applied pressure.

The seed made a high pitched noise. It was not a strong creature, so it was not able to take much. After a bit, it pointed a tiny finger in a direction.

"Don't you dare trick me." Shade snarled while he followed where the seed pointed.

The laughter had faded now, probably scared off by this shadow's appearance. And warning the big tree. That didn't matter. It was not like that thing could run away.

Sure enough, out of the fog, a path showed up. A lot of roots were running around it, even going up above. This was a sure sign the tree was up ahead.

Shade, still holding the seed, followed the path while being on his guard for anything. Only shaking seeds watched him walk up to the clearing.

The big tree was right in the middle, his leaves covering up a lot. Branches and shaped in the wood made out a face, mostly heavy eyebrows and a mouth. In front of it, a stone slab, that was a bit overgrown, was within the grass. Right in the middle of this, was the Master Sword, thrust into stone.

"You, dark being, you have no place here. Begone!"

It almost seemed Deku didn't recognize the shape of the hero. Oh well. Shade cared little about it at this point. Tossing the coroc aside, he flat out ignored the tree, setting foot on the stone and stepping closer to the sword.

It looked beat up and rusted, having none of its former glory. Could it be because it hasn't seen action in some time? Was it reacting to the malice?

"You will never obtain it." The heave voice of Deku shook the ground.

But the shadow figure still went for it, grabbing the purple colored hilt that seemed to be wrapped in a vine.

A paralyzing pain shot through Shade's hand, quickly up his arm and the rest of his body. Like being hit by lightning, fire and ice, all at the same time.

Everything became a blinding white of nothingness, going on forever and ever. A voice began to speak. It didn't sound human, but at the same time it was female.

"This is not your right form."

A shape appeared in front of him. It was like a woman, yet not really. Everything seemed to be connected on her, bearing the same colors of the sword that was holding him instead of the other way around.

One side of her was blue, the other purple, lined perfectly in the middle. Instead of arms, she had a flowing cloth, which always seemed to be moving in the non-existent wind. Her legs were lined with 'X' patterns and topped off with heels. On her chest, was a very noticeable, big, bright blue gem. Her face was the same color and even her hair and eyes were all the same, is if they were all one, smooth as can be.

"It seems you are lost in the darkness. Come back to the light."

Finally, shaking off some of the paralyzes, Shade shook his head. He tried very hard now to let go of the sword, being in total agony while attempting this.

"You are the Chosen Hero of Hylia. Personal knight, barer of the Triforce of courage. Do not allow this darkness. Or the whole world will be put in it as well."

"Nhg, no! Damn you!"

Shade yelled out while the sword finally let him go. Immediately he backed away, holding his left hand, which felt like it was outright burning. The cross pattern of the hilt seemed to be burned into his skin.

It was a mistake to come here. Scrambling, the shadow turned away and hurried the way he came. The mist was meant to keep you out, so walking into it, just put him back to the entrance of the woods.

Holding his hurt hand and cursing, Shade left the thick forest, only to curse even more. Where did that damned beam come from?! It was from one of the Divine Beast. Why he knew this? He just did, somehow.

"Who, how even...? God fucking damnit!"

Shade yelled furiously at the sky, aimed straight at Hylia.

"I hate you. And all of your damn tricks. You have too much working for you. I will find this new champion of yours and I will make him suffer, I swear!"

With a hard tug, he broke the harness of the horse as he got up on it. Shade was pretty sure the next stop would be Goron, since this was the closest. And he'd just have to find the fool who was carrying the Slate.

With eyes burning ever so brightly, filled to the brim with fury, he kicked the horse to get moving.


	16. Chapter 14

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

"Are you sure we should do this, little angel?"

Zelos eyed the thing before them warily. It was almost like a claw had ripped the air to pieces and left this black tear behind.

Sheena looked uneasy as well, holding her upper arms as if to shield herself. She always did this when she was uncomfortable.

"Maybe we should wait just a little longer, Colette."

"It has already been close to a week since Lloyd disappeared. And a couple of days since I last heard of Kratos. This bad feeling...I do not like it. What if Lloyd is in there? What if he's in real trouble? He is our friend, we need to help him, as he helped us!"

Passionate and worried, Colette clutched her hands, looking at the tear and to her two friends. This was all she was able to gather. Well...she'd feel a bit guilty, taking Raine and Genis of their mission to help out half elves. Or Regal and Presea, who were sorting things out with the Lazerano company and their involvement with Exspheres.

"Aren't you worried?" Her big, blue eyes looked at the both of them, practically begging them.

"Well, yeah. He is my bud. Lloyd can also fend for himself, however."

"Have you looked at this?" Sheena gestured to the tear. "I don't like the look of it and you want to step through this? We do not even know what this does."

"I get your concern, Sheena. But then, you should also understand mine. If this is connected to Lloyd's disappearance..."

"But you don't know that, do you doll?"

"I can feel it. It is faint, but still." The blond turned to the tear. "I owe him this much at least. If you don't want to come, that is fine. I'll be okay."

"Heeeell no, sweet cheeks. I'm not letting ya go alone." Zelos laid a hand on her shoulder.

"And someone needs to keep him on a leash." Sheena went to stand next to Colette, glaring at the redhead.

Colette smiled widely. "Thanks, you guys! I knew I could count on you two."

Oh, where did they get roped in to? Well, they would see soon enough, while they stepped through the tear together. A mix of purple and black shortly engulfed them, and then they were in a whole different environment. From lush green grass field to hard, sand like ground, completely enclosed by stone slabs that rose up, but left an opening to the bright blue sky. All be it a bit obscured by a sandstorm that seemed to be going on.

In the middle, there was a big, round pit. Zelos stepped closer to it, but not to close, leaning in a little.

"Best keep away, Sheena. Don't want you falling in this one. It seems pretty deep ."

The ninja put her hands on her hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Colette looked further around, finding a room that was slightly hidden away in a crevasse. There was a stone table in the middle, with some chairs and little tables on the side made of wood.

It seemed like someone went through this recently; some chairs were knocked over and there was a mess of papers on the ground. She picked up some of them, but it was written in a langue she didn't recognize.

"Huh, can't make head or tails of this." Zelos also picked up a paper and turned it in all directions.

There was not much else in the little cave room, so they walked back out. Zelos looked up to the sky.

"That almost seems the only way in, or out."

"That is strange, don't you think?" Colette leaned against the wall, trying to understand. "Waah!"

The wall suddenly moved as Colette fell on her behind. It turned out to be a stone slab, made to blend in, but it was actually a secret doorway.

"You okay, little angel?" Zelos offered her a hand.

"Yes, I'm alright." Thankful, Colette took the help offered.

"Another typical lucky Colette moment. You seem to have found a hidden passageway."

Sheena walked up to them and smiled. The blond in question giggled. Together, they stepped passed the fake wall, entering a square room.

It had stands, almost like it used to be a market place. But it looked to be abandoned for a while now, judging by the dust that was gathering. Now, there were a lot of things just lying around. Parts of armor, helmets and even weapons, were scattered all over the place.

"Strange. No bodies, no blood, no real sign of struggle."

Sheena remarked while she walked around and studied the room.

"So, if there was no fight, what happened here?" Colette was curious to know.

"To me, it looks like whomever were here, left in a hurry, dropping any extra weight in order to travel light."

"Hey, there's a ladder here. Wanna check it out?"

Zelos already had walked ahead, passed another hidden wall. However, with this one, the people hadn't bothered closing it.

"You do that. We'll follow this way."

He nodded to what Sheena said and climbed up the ladder. The two ladies followed the way around the corner.

What they found was a big room, totally lit up with lanterns and torches. Big block buildings were placed all around and above them was a lot of wood, rope and tarps.

Sheena figured this was to make sure no stones from the cave's ceiling would fall on someone's head.

"What is this place?" Colette marveled.

"Hm. This almost looks like a town. But situated underground. But with all those weapons, it could be a kind of hide out."

"That could mean baddies, right?" The Chosen asked a little scared.

"Could very well be."

"Yoehoe! Up here!"

Zelos' voice sounded from above. He was standing on one of the buildings, an opening was in the wood, offering a clear view. He jumped down with grace, throwing in a flip for good measure, before landing on his feet.

Show off, Sheena thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

"I know what you are thinking, Yubblies. And you would have done the exact same!" The red head pointed an accusatory finger at her.

He was not wrong. But in straight denial, she shook her head.

"Oeh, what you got there, Zelos?"

"Ah, my dear little angel. I found this up in a shack along with a large number of bananas. Didn't really bother with those."

Zelos showed the item that was shimmering gold. It seemed to be a very extravagant helmet, set with jewels and an almost divine headpiece.

"This is getting stranger and stranger. You wouldn't leave something this valuable behind." Sheena remarked.

The other two nodded in agreement, being just as puzzled.

"Well, we won't find answers standing around. Let's keep going and find more clues. Or a way out."

So Zelos took the lead, following down the next tunnel. Even with the fact that this was in a cave, the ceilings were up high, so it didn't feel as cramped. Maybe at one point, there used to be a civilization here, long ago. Sheena was curious about this as well.

"Next to the mess, it seems like this place is empty. You think Lloyd or Kratos went through?" Zelos folded his arms behind his head while they walked on.

"Zelos! You aren't suggesting either of them did something to the people who were here?" Colette asked in shock.

"Well, Lloyd wouldn't do such a thing. Kratos, I'm not too sure."

"What..."

"Hello! Anyone? Please, help me!"

A female voice called out, even though it sounded weak, they could still hear it. It seemed to come from above the trio. They soon found a ladder that led up to a small platform. There was a jail cell, and behind the bars was a woman with red hair and tanned skin. She looked very dehydrated and starved.

"Oh no, who dares to put such a beauty behind bars? You poor dear."

Zelos stepped closer, but Sheena quickly pulled him back. "You're not going to wonder why she's in there in the first place?"

The two shared a look, while Colette stepped closer, grabbing her bag and taking out bread with a field bottle of water.

"It isn't much, but I hope it helps," she said while she offered this to the lady.

The red haired woman very thankfully took it, and started eating, drinking in between.

"Thank you. I thought I was done for."

"Colette, you really have to good of a heart." Sheena remarked, shaking her head. But she and Zelos joined by the Chosen's side.

"So, why are you in here?" Sheena asked, crossing her arms.

"I am from the near city Gerudo, and one of the chief's guards. My name is Barta. I was here for an artifact, but I got caught."

The woman looked ashamed and she sighed. She continued with trouble. "They really didn't care for my welfare. But then suddenly, they left in a real hurry. I have no clue why or exactly how long ago this was. Can you please help me out of here?"

Colette looked at Sheena for this. "She doesn't seem to have ill intent."

"'Sides, she's weakened because of dehydration." Zelos added.

Barta looked angry at that comment, but she couldn't really deny. These strangely dressed people did give her food and water and were probably her way out.

"Fine then. Stand back. Zelos, with me."

Sheena took a couple of steps back and Zelos knew right away what she wanted to do. Barta backed away while a countdown from three started. They both took a small running start and kicked at the lock of the door. It cracked and broke open.

Zelos then stepped in and offered the woman his hand. "Can you stand?"

"I think I need a shoulder." Barta took the hand offered and let herself be pulled up.

It was almost funny to see two redheads next to each other, Colette couldn't help but smile. Zelos let Barta rest mostly on his shoulder as they stepped out.

"Is there any where we can bring you, where you can get the right help and care?"

"Gerudo town would be best. It's quit a walk. But we can go the fast way. We will need some shields for that."

The three frowned at this, but decided not to ask. This world was foreign to them after all. This woman would know better.

"Well, the... Who was it who left you in here?" Zelos asked.

"Yiga. They are a gang of masked people in red. They are very sneaky, dirty fighters."

"I see. It does seem they have left enough stuff behind."

Sheena already went ahead, back down the ladder. They helped Barta to the ground and collected a couple of shields.

"This was their base, a very good one. It was well populated and guarded. I do not understand what made them leave."

"You should save your energy, beautiful. Now, where do we go? Just follow the way?"

Barta decided to nod to this, not in a ways to argue. They walked on through the tall hall, but it got lower, like an actual cave. This was supposed to be the way in, it seemed. It lead to a hall way with a big torch in the middle and a lot of flags hung up against the walls.

The red haired woman looked at the red flag with the upside-down crying eye with a certain hatred and disgust.

"The way out, or in? Seems pretty clear. Is this really a hide out?" Sheena tilted her head, looking around.

"It was very well guarded." Barta said again, while Zelos helped her along outside.

The heat hit hard, along with all the sand blowing around, even though they were surrounded by cliff walls.

"Oh, are we in a desert?" Colette marveled, picking at the sand at her feet.

"How could you not notice that if you got to this base?" Barta was confused now, still having trouble talking. The heat didn't help the situation.

"The shields, what are they for?"

Zelos deliberately dodged the question, but also hurried things along.

"Seal surfing sandseals. Use the ropes as lassos. Approach them carefully." She was literally feeling the heat, pointing at two figures up ahead.

Sheena decided to take a closer look, and looked back, surprised.

"They really are like big seals. Well, maybe more like a walrus. In the sand."

"We are surfing behind them on the shields, in the sand? That is awesome!" Zelos was in right away.

"Keep it down, don't chase them away. I guess two will have to do."

The ninja took the ropes, spinning them, ready to lasso the seals. Of course, she had no trouble and the seals seemed fairly alright with it, staying put as long as the ropes were tugging them back.

"Right. I'll hold on to Barta. I think she's gonna pass out any minute."

"As long as you keep just one arm around her, in _one_ place."

"Honey, just what do you take me for?" Zelos put up a hurt face.

"Which way, Barta?"

"East." The woman muttered before she indeed passed out.

So Zelos had to hold her with one arm, while he used his free hand to steer the seal with. It was a rough start and all the sand certainly made it worse, because of poor sight. But once they got the hang of it, it was pretty great. They were surfing, on a shield, in a desert, with a seal!

Wait until Lloyd hears about this! This thought glomed Zelos immediately. Of course, he was worried about his best bud. If he really was here, who knows what kind of trouble he was in? Sure, he can fend for himself, but still!

When they passed by stone structures that seemed to be a really beat up ruin, a place showed up in the distance. A mostly square shape. Out of it, different shapes stuck out, like domes and towers. It clearly a city, protected by walls. They all wanted to bet this was the place Barta had talked about.

The seals thankfully were fast and they got there in a good time. Zelos his arms were getting tired. At the front of the wall, there was one open way in, guarded by two big muscled, red haired women. They were armed with long spears, which they crossed when the small group came closer.

"State your business, strangers," one of the guards ordered.

"Uhm, well. We found this woman," Colette gestured to Barta, who now kind of hang off Zelos' shoulder, "in a hideout cell. She isn't doing well and asked us to bring her here."

The guards exchanged a look. One stepped closer to have a better look.

"Yes. This is Barta. One of the guards' guild that went missing almost a week ago."

"Should I inform the chief?" The other guard asked.

"Hm, then you might as well take her along. She seems in a bad way."

The guard closest to them, eyed Colette and Sheena. "You two are allowed to come with. I am sure the chief would like to thank you personally and will also have some questions for you."

"Eh, what about me? Hey!"

The other guard had come closer and just picked Barta away from Zelos, gently laying her over her own shoulder with little effort. A not so kind look was aimed at the man.

"No Voe allowed in Gerudo town."

Both guards studied him for a moment.

"You think he's...?"

"Can't be, not the right skin or eye colour."

They debated with each other without really lowering their voices.

"What does 'voe' mean? I carried her you know. I deserve a thank you as well!" Zelos didn't like to be ignored.

"No men are allowed in. No exceptions."

"What kind of weird rule is that?"

This remark, got him a scary look from Sheena. "Be quiet, Zelos! We must respect their rules, this is their place. Just stay here, don't get yourself or us into trouble!"

Zelos pouted at this, but nodded.

"We promise not to take too long, okay? You take a bit of well-deserved rest."

These kind words came from Colette, bless her soul. Her kind smile and words would brighten up anyone.

"I will." He smiled back at her with a nod.

The guard carrying Barta walked on, waving the girls along. The other guard went back to her position, giving Zelos a 'back off' glare. So, he just did, taking a couple of steps away. He decided to walk along the wall, to investigate.

A couple of men were taking cover from the sandy winds and harsh sun under a tarp.

"Hey there, traveler. Couldn't get in either, ey? Join the club. We got some drinks to forget about our troubles."

A man said, handing Zelos a mug, which contents smelled like mead. He just accepted it and took a small sip. Jup, it was mead. Nothing special really.

"What's up with that dumb rule?" Zelos asked.

The man shrugged, clearly having had one to many already. "Something superstitious. I just...well, we all just came here to check the town full of ladies, you know."

By Martel! I didn't even realize. I must get in! Zelos grabbed the man by the shoulders.

"Pleaseee tell me there is a way in there!"

* * *

Gerudo town seemed pretty busy with people. Well, woman. Although some figures didn't seem human at all. Colette and Sheena shared a look because of this. They dared not to ask, but clearly, they were out of their element so to say.

It seemed pretty peaceful, even if there were worried expressions on most faces, there was no panic. They tried to let life go on, still running their stores on the big market place.

Colette looked up to the guard guiding them (she was truly towering above the both of them).

"Is there something going on?"

"Hmf, apart from the sandstorms, the Divine Beast, Molduga, the Yiga and a new mass murderer?" The guard grunted, still sternly looking ahead and moving on.

Colette hardly understood any of that, but it didn't sound good. She could _feel_ the fear and the desperation in the people. But they still tried to keep a brave face, not willing to give in, even in the face of all those bad things.

This hit really close to home. Immediately, she felt compelled to help these people, to take away those fears and give them hope again. It was just how she was.

A couple of stairs led them to the big, main building which seemed to be built like a palace. Some more guards stood on several posts. They were all female, and all the same, red hair, darker skin and strong build.

Their guiding guard stopped by one at the entrance and handed over Barta, asking her to take her to the back for healthcare. When this was done, they were gestured further, to come inside. Well, the palace was a very open concept, so not there weren't many doors. With the heat of the desert, this was needed.

Before they could really move on though, a really big woman blocked their path. She was more adorned then the guard with them, wearing more gold, jewels and sorts.

"What is the meaning of this, Atra? Why did you bring two strangers inside?"

"Captain Buliara, my apologies. These strangers were the ones who found Barta. She was not in great shape, so she is being treated right now. You know what this means, captain. I am sure you and the chief have questions."

Captain Buliara nodded while looking at Coletta and Sheena. Talk about a terrifying presence. Sheena had only felt this when around her master.

"Very well. Thank you, Atra. You can go back to your post. I'll take it from here."

"Yes, ma'am!" Atra saluted and walked of, not greeting the two in the process.

Rude. Then again, she was just doing her job.

"What's going on, Buliara? I would like to be involved."

A young, female voice chimed somewhere behind the big woman. She turned, revealing a red carpet going up a few steps, to a golden throne with a green seat and a very high back. In it was a girl, around Colette's age, or maybe even younger. She was coolly dressed in mostly red and was wearing a golden adornment in her hair that seemed very much like a crown.

Right away, Sheena and Colette bowed, to show their respect.

"Oh, please. No need for that. I'm not a queen, just the chief. Name's Riju. Tell me what brings you here?"

Sheena took it on her to give a quick recap. Of course, she didn't mention how they got in the hideout in the first place. She thought it would be wise to keep quiet about being from another world for now.

"We also have another companion. His name is Zelos, but I understand you don't allow men here. He found something gold and fancy there."

Riju's eyes widened at these last words that came from Colette. She leaned forward, eager it seemed.

"Was it a big helmet, set with stones and an ornament at the front shaped like little bolts of lightning?"

Sheena was unsure, looking at her friend. She put a finger on her chin, thinking about this.

"I believe so. If he was here, he could show you. But we of course respect your rules."

"We will make an exception. Bul, let someone fetch this Zelos guy."

"But chief..."

"He could have the Thunder Helm."

The fierce look in the young girl's eyes, made Buliara shut up. She knew how much this meant for their oh so young chief. It was more than good protection, it had real sentimental value. So, the captain bowed her head and ordered one of the guards to fetch this so called Zelos.

"You already did us a great service bringing Barta back to us. For this, I thank you. And if you really found the Thunder Helm, we really owe you."

"Oh, we just kind of stumbled upon it. Don't think too much of it." Colette said, humble as ever. "And my name is Colette, by the way."

"And I am Sheena. I do have a question, if I may."

"Of course, go ahead."

Riju made a welcoming gesture. It released a bit of the tension.

"We are looking for a friend of ours. His name is Lloyd...Wait, I just realized you do not allow guys in here." The ninja's face fell.

"We do not. But we do keep a record of every face that stands before our walls. Maybe your friend was turned away. What did he look like?"

Buliara made a gesture to a far guard, who came to her immediately and presented a book to her.

"Also, how long ago could this have been?"

"Well, we've been missing him for about eight days now. He's got brown hair that is in a messy style. Light brown eyes and he mostly wears red, together with his duel wield swords."

"Don't forget about his goofy smile, Colette."

"It's not goofy. Its kind."

The blond said softly, looking to the ground. By Martel, did she miss that smile. She missed everything about him.

With a slight frown, Buliara browsed the latest pages of the book.

"I'm fairly sure no one was seen with _that_ description."

"I'm sorry, girls." Riju gave them an apologetic look.

"That is okay. We will keep looking. We won't stop until we find him." The Chosen said.

"Of course not! Bud will be found!"

Zelos was brought in, held by each arm by a guard. This made Sheena narrow her eyes at him.

"What did you do?"

"He started romancing woman the moment we allowed him in the town," one of the guards answered, clearly not amused.

"Don't look at me like that, honey. This is a place full of _women_. How can I possibly contain myself?"

"How about respecting the rules and personal space of others?" Sheena gave him an earful and the guards let go of the redhead, only setting one step back.

"Please, can you show me what you have found?" Riju was keen and so inpatient.

"Well, look at you. Ah, the beauty of youth." Zelos cooed.

When he was met with cold stares, he mumbled and got out the golden ornament out his pack. Starry eyed, Riju reached out. Her captain took the helmet from Zelos' hands and studied it for a moment, before handing it to her chief.

"It seems to be real."

Riju had her eyes glued to the helmet, turning it around, up and down, holding it at angles. And then releasing a sound of happiness and relief.

"It's finally back. The Thunder Helmet is back where it belongs! I was almost afraid it would be lost forever..."

A tear glinted in her eye, and she pressed the helmet against her chest like it was a well cherished stuffed animal.

Buliara cleared her throat as she turned to the three. "We truly owe you. A treasured heirloom has been brought back safely. You have our deepest gratitude."

The captain bowed her head. It was clear this was important to them, for more than one reason. "Is there anything we can do in return?"

"Well, after all that heat, I could use a good place to rest and some nice food." Zelos remarked.

"You don't say that, you idiot." Sheena glared at him.

"Stay, for dinner and the night." The young chief offered very kindly. It was clear the gears in her head were turning, but there was no knowing what she was thinking about.

"Chief Riju..."

"We have the room. And we owe them this little in return. Make the arrangements with our people."

Zelos noted the girl said 'our people' instead of servants. He respected and appreciated that. The captain bowed her head and did she was told.

"Not that we don't appreciate the kind gesture, but..."

"The desert is too dangerous at night," Riju interrupted Sheena. "Not only for the cold, but also the monsters lurking around. If you don't know the way, you'll be lost forever."

A lady came to them and bowed lightly.

"Honored guest, will you please follow me to your rooms for tonight?"

"See you later."

Riju smiled and waved while the trio was ushered to come along. When they were out of sight, she sighed, looking down at the helmet.

"One step closer, and yet, still so far away. Link, where are you? Why is someone posing as you, trying to spread disappear?"

She leaned back in the giant chair and looked up to the sandstone ceiling. Like the chair, she had big shoes to fill. The people depended on their chief, but their chief was just a child. How could she life up to her mother, in these great times of turmoil?

With a sigh, Riju got out of the chair and started walking, deep in thought and still holding on to the helmet.

Zelos looked around the room he was brought to. It kind of reminded him of home, only a lot more open. Of course, Sheena and Colette were impressed with their own rooms and felt like they didn't really deserve such good treatment.

The lady that had showed them to their rooms, bowed once again. "You are now free to roam the building. Just please do not leave it. Is there anything I can do for you now?"

"I got a question. Why does it look like a palace, yet you only have a chief and not a queen?" Zelos was curious to know, while he dropped himself on the grand couch. The two ladies took a seat more decently.

"That is out of respect for the late king of Hyrule. Even though he was sadly lost, we will honor him still."

The three shared a look, they were just at the start of understanding everything here.

"If there is anything else, you can speak to any of our people. I will go help with dinner, which will be in about an hour." She nodded in greeting and left the room.

"So... now what?" Sheena asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

No one really had an answer. Zelos' eye fell on the map that was hung on the wall in a fancy list. They all gathered around it and finally saw the whole world they ended up in.

"We really are in a different world." Sheena said softly.

"You saw the strange creatures among the people while coming to this place, right? Thought that was proof enough."

"Of course, Zelos. But this not like Theta'alla and Sylvarant," Colette remarked.

"Because of the lack of mana?" The ninja leaned against the wall. "I mean, I've been in the world where it was lacking. But here, it is..."

"None existent."

The girls nodded to Zelos his definition. It was a really weird feeling. Like a piece of yourself was missing. Luckily, it wasn't like air; they didn't _need_ it to stay alive. It was more the world itself that did.

"We can't do much now. We know Lloyd isn't here. That opens up a whole lot more possibilities."

Sheena glanced at the map. "It is a pretty big world, but where we are now seems pretty enclosed. I think we need to leave this desert."

Nodding, Colette studied the map again. She noted there were not many towns on it. Was this with intend or was there something else going on? From what the guard said to them earlier, even though it mostly were things she didn't understand, she'd say so.

"Let us keep a low profile. We already stand out. But I don't think they should know where we came from."

"Alright, little Angel."

"Also, no flirting, Zelos Wilder!" Sheena pointed a finger at the red head.

"That's like telling me not the breath! This place is full of woman. C'mon!"

"We are here for Lloyd."

This remark from Colette, made him back down. Of course, he was worried about his bud. The sooner he knew he was alright, the better.

"I'm gonna walk around a bit. Maybe gather some information. You both should do the same."

Sheena stood up straight and they all nodded to each other, after which they all went a different direction.

* * *

The ninja herself was in her element, eavesdropping on people was something she was good at. But when you are a guest of honor and you don't fit into the surroundings, it made things harder.

She did hear mention this strange Divine Beast again, and how it was causing thunder and sandstorms and outright made a part of the desert hard to reach. Was it a sort of monster? Riju did mention monsters before, so they weren't strange in this world. But no doubt different, thinking back to the boulder creature they saw at the market. It walked and talked like a normal person would. Very strange indeed.

Walking past an arch to a big balcony, Sheena stopped herself and stepped back. Riju was standing there, near the stone balustrade of the balcony, looking out absentmindedly, while still holding on to the golden helmet.

With a very deliberate loud step, Sheena approached her, not wanting to startle the girl. She looked back for moment, showed a sad smile and turned back her gaze.

"I love the view up here," she said softly.

It did give a great overlook of the town, and the desert beyond. Sheena nodded while she went to stand next to her, looking out for a moment as well. Then, she turned her gaze to the chief.

"That helmet means a lot to you, don't it?"

Riju looked down to it and caressed it for a moment. "It will help a great deal with getting down the Divine Beast. But I am just happy to have back this heirloom. The one thing my mother left for me when she passed away."

"That is why you are such a young chief. I am sorry for your loss."

She smiled a sad smile again. "She was a good chief and a great mother. It was bad enough to lose her. But to lose this..." Riju tapped the helmet, "just showed how incompetent I am."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. You were forced into this position. There's no way you were prepared for it at your age. And still all the responsibilities are put on you. People expect you to just do it without a sweat. And you don't want to disappoint your people. That's a lot of pressure on a young girl like you. So, don't punish yourself if something goes wrong. Instead, you can always ask for help. There's no shame in doing that and no one will think less of you."

Riju looked at Sheena for this unexpected speech. It clearly came from the heart. Heck, she spoke out of her own experience. Sheena remembered how it was, being a summoner at such a young age, and having to go to Volt.

The thought still made her shiver and close to crying every time. It was a failure she could never make up for. And she was to ashamed to ask for help. All she ever did after that was in hopes to make amends, desperately so.

"I really appreciate you saying that. And thank you again, for bringing the helmet back here. This brings us a step closer to claiming the desert back."

"Only a step?"

Riju sighed and nodded. "We need the hero to show up still. He is the only one that can stop the Divine Beast. But with the Pass still closed off... Wait a minute."

The girl perked up, looking at Sheena again. "You said the hide out was deserted, right?"

"Yes, completely."

"Bulaira, come here."

It seemed the captain was never far away, because the giant woman was there within seconds.

"Yes, my chief?"

"How big is the chance that the Yiga also left their post at the Pass?"

Bulaira had to think about this, cupping her chin in thought. "There is a good chance, yes. We can send scouts tomorrow morning to investigate."

"Yes, please do that."

Sheena remembered something called a pass on the map. It seemed to be the only road out of this desert.

"Can we come along?"

At this request, the both of them looked at her with a frown.

"We need to leave the desert, to look further. And your scouts know the best way through it to get there. I promise you we won't be an inconvenience. We can fight if it comes down to that."

"I am not certain..."

"Let them join the scouts. There is no harm in it. We have enough sandseals, don't we?" Riju interrupted the captain's doubts.

"I suppose. You can join as you like."

"Again, we won't be a burden, I promise."

Bulaira nodded to Sheena's words and left to make arrangements. Such a busy lady.

* * *

Zelos more or less strolled through the palace, feeling kind of at home. Aside from all the female guards of course.

No flirting, puh! How could he resist? The ladies were very exposed. The muscles were just a plus in his book. Sure, he didn't mind saving damsels in distress, a woman who can fight for herself was attractive as well. So, he gingerly approached a guard.

"I don't know what is hotter; you or the sun above this desert, but I'm betting on the first," he said winking. It was a little awkward having to look up to her, but that wouldn't back him down.

Zelos had good reflexes and it proved useful. The woman went for a punch in his ribs, but he jumped aside just in time.

"Whoa, easy there! I am an honored guest here, you know."

"That doesn't mean you can do what you please. It is disrespectful, scrawny."

"Scrawny? Hold on, I aint weak. I can fight just as well, you know!"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Proof it."

Oh, wait until Sheena hears about this. Zelos grinned at the thought while he followed the guard to a place that was clearly meant as a training ground. A lot of guards were there, sparring with each other or with dolls.

They all looked his way when Zelos entered their domain. He did note that his red locks drew a lot of attention, so he waved them around. Everyone seemed to be a redhead, clearly, they had good taste and knew what was very attractive. But the ladies looked not amused, to say the least. Just what was their deal, Zelos wondered.

They entered a slightly raised square, meant as an arena. The guard threw aside her big glaive.

"No weapons."

"Fine with me."

Zelos shrugged. He pulled his short sword and threw it out the ring. It slightly sunk into the sandstone floor.

Both raised their fists, looking ready as ever. Another member took it upon herself to count down for them. Zelos will not hold back. The woman requested this, so he was determent to show all of his strength. Countdown reached one and they both went in, going for a punch.

* * *

It wasn't her first time in a palace. But still, one of the rare times Colette could roam freely. In Meltokio, she never really got that chance.

It seemed all royals were a fan of gold. There were hints if it all around. But at least it was not excessive.

Well raised as she was, Colette wasn't opening any closed doors. There weren't to many, only to the private chambers, like the rooms they were allowed to stay.

There was even a small spa, and that had no door! Hopefully Zelos won't come across this. There were guards standing close, which Colette suspected were put there _just_ for that reason. She smiled and nodded kindly at them, after taking a curious look, but not going inside.

There was no way she could relax right now. She was too worried about the whole situation. A guilty feeling was at the pit of her stomach. After all, she dragged Zelos and Sheena into this. Into a whole different world they knew nothing about.

Just asking, that seemed to her as too risky. Besides, it seemed the people here had enough on their mind. So, Colette was hoping to find a library, or at least some books with some needed information.

She passed another door-less room, but halted and stepped back. The little room was full of candles and cushions in warm, calm color schemes. On its own small alter, stood a statue about as big as a small dog.

It was a woman without real facial features, but long hair and angel wings. Quietly Colette stepped closer to the alter. She studied the writing alongside it.

'Offer prayer to the Goddess Hylia.' Hylia, huh? There was not much to go off on, but the angel wings surely made this seem at least heavenly. It actually gave Colette a peace of mind. They knew gods here, and maybe angels as well.

Like the statue, Colette folded her hands together, bowed her head and started her prayer.

{ Oh Goddess Hylia, please hear me. I know you do not know me. I am new to this world. I am at your mercy, together with my friends. I beg of you to grant us protection. And also to our lost friend, Lloyd. }

{ Did you say Lloyd? } A faint, female voice sounded in her head. She sounded weak however.

Colette kept herself collected. It wasn't the first time she was spoken to in prayer.

{ I did. Lloyd is a good friend of mine. Am I addressing Hylia? }

{ What? No... } A moment of silence set in.

An image then started to form in her mind. Well, it was a lot of darkness, with only a young woman in the midst of it. Just like Colette, she had long, blond hair and wore white. However, her dress was torn and filthy, and her eyes had a dull green color that looked very tired. She took a breath and spoke again.

"I am Zelda. I have spoken to Lloyd. I saw him, pictured in your mind. I am sure he is...the same."

"Really?" Colette was relieved and happy to hear this. But the state of this girl, who didn't look much older than herself, made her worry.

"Do you need help?"

Zelda closed her eyes for a moment. She was using a lot of extra resource here, but she felt she owed this girl an explanation at the very least.

"I do not have much time. Our hero was taken from us. Lloyd was chosen for his replacement. He is our last hope, to stop Ganon."

Colette realized this was not the time ask questions about all of this.

"So, is he alright? Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Find him...find Link."

The scene faded. Or rather, Zelda seemed to be swallowed up in the darkness. With a jolt, Colette raised her head and looked around. But she was alone in this little chapel. Well, at the very least she now was sure Lloyd was in this world. But there were still a lot of unanswered questions.

Just what was this Zelda caught by? It seemed so much like the scene she herself was in when in angel mode. But in this case, it was sheer darkness. It felt the same as what she felt together with Kratos, what he chased after. So, it was for certain he was here as well.

What was this Link that she mentioned? A link to what? Confused and in thought, Colette walked on, no longer really paying attention to her surroundings.

"Hey Colette. Hellooo."

Sheena spotted the blond Chosen when she had her talk with Riju. But it seemed she was pretty deep in thought, so she waved her hand before her eyes.

"Huh?" Colette tripped over her own feet, and she took Sheena with her, toppling into a balcony.

Their view was a big muscled guard fighting with Zelos, who just went for punch.

"Zelos!" Both girls yelled in shock at the same time.

The redhead Chosen looked up at this, which left him wide open for the upcoming punch. It threw him right out of the ring.

"Auchie..." Zelos rubbed his upper arm where he'd been hit as he stood up. Not looking happy, he picked his sword back up and put this back on his belt.

"You did good."

The female guard smiled widely as she stepped towards him and held out her hand.

"Yeah well, you too." He wanted to shake her hand, but she took hold of his wrist to shake that way.

Zelos then directed his gaze up, to spot the two girls that broke his concentration. Sheena helped Colette back up from their combined tumble. Such clumsy girls.

"Hey girls, what's up?" he grinned at them.

"What's up? Why are you fighting a guard, a woman even?" Sheena called out upset.

The redhead shrugged. "She asked me herself."

Sheena opened her mouth to retort, but the sound of a gong rang through the building.

"Ah, time to go home."

The guard just smiled and nodded to Zelos. She and most of the others there, left the raining area. The woman that showed them the guest rooms, come up behind the girls on the balcony.

"Dinner is ready. If you please follow me?"

Zelos waited and joined them, following the lady to another big room, with a long table set full of food. A lot of woman were already seated, most seem in their twenties or thirties.

Riju was standing at the head, smiling kindly. On a special stand, the Thunder helmet was displayed close by.

"Please, take a seat, guests of honor. Thanks to you, a new hope has sparked. The least we can do in return is share a meal with you."

As requested, the three took a seat; three seats close to Riju were kept free for them. On her other side, set a young girl, maybe around ten years old. But she was shaking like a leaf, just staring at her plate absentmindedly.

Riju picked up a cup and raised it. "Cheers, to our guests."

The rest cheered to this as asked, which made the three a little shy. The food standing ready was varied; from rise to potatoes and small pieces of meat. There was enough choice, but all in proportion. No over abundance of food, but just enough.

Sheena suspected this was so there was no waste of food. The drink they were given was fruit like and a little sweet. All in all, a good dinner, filled with small talk. Luckily, no one really asked questions the three could not really answer.

The women all were part of the staff, but it was clear Riju didn't see them as such. She treated them as friends, equals.

When all was done, they cleaned up the table, but Riju gestured to her guests to stay seated. The young girl did so as well. She hadn't moved much and hardly eaten anything. The woman with her had to feed her.

"Still no real progress then?" Riju looked at the woman caring for the girl.

"It is slow, chief. At least, I got her to eat, even if it's very little. Just with everything else. Poor thing went through a lot."

Riju nodded to this, with all the compassion in the world. "You can take her back to her room."

The woman bowed her head and very carefully took the girl by the hand to guide her along. No sudden movements, no force involved.

"What's wrong with that girl?" Colette asked softly, even though they were out of earshot.

The young chief sighed. "A very traumatic experience. She came to the town a little over a week ago. A crying, broken mess. Through her nightmare terrors and what little words she can muster, we pieced it together, bit by bit. She was living in the Oasis, just having a normal day. But when darkness crept in, so did something else. It tortured and murdered all the people there in cold blood, all the while it made her watch."

"That is terrible."

"And that's not even all. This...thing was made to look like the hero, but a very dark representation of him. Of course, in hopes to make people despair even more."

Riju clenched her fist and slammed it on the table. "I might not have known him personally, but Link would not do such a thing!"

"Oh...that's a name." Colette realized.

"Huh? Link is a very well-known name. He is the one we are waiting for. He is the one that can free the Divine Beast and defeat Ganon. Lady Urbosa had faith in him, so will I."

Sheena and Zelos had a look of confusion and concern on their face. Colette was more sorrow and pity.

"I'm sorry you are having such troubling times."

"It's not something you can really help. We just have to stay strong. We Gerudo are a strong race. We will keep standing and endure!"

"That is good to hear." A slow, still somewhat sad nod came from Sheena.

"Oh, and the scouts have been arranged. They will leave after breakfast, so you should ready yourselves for that. I have arranged some previsions for you and you'll be traveling by sandseal."

"Hold on, what?" Zelos looked confused, as well as Colette. They both looked at Sheena, who was mostly addressed here.

"Well, some scouts are going to see if the exit of the desert is still blocked by Yiga and I figured we should join since we won't be finding Lloyd here."

"Again, you should ready yourself for that. I have some things to attend to myself. I will see you all tomorrow morning. Have a good night."

The chief stood up, nodded to them in greeting and walked off, taking along the helmet with her. As if she was afraid that if she lost sight of it, she'd lose it again.

"Alright, let's talk in my room." Sheena already went ahead, so the other two just followed.

Colette took a seat on the couch, as did Sheena, but Zelos just leaned against the back of a chair. He glared at the ninja.

"Why did you volunteer us to go with some scouts?"

"Look, we are in the middle of a desert. At the only place where people live. And they haven't seen anyone with Lloyd's description. Those scouts are going to the only way out of here. It's our safest and best bet. They know the save way there."

"We need to go to another place where people life, to get more information." Colette softly realized.

"Yeah, you got it."

"Would at least be nice to first talk it over with us."

"It was a spur of the moment, Zelos. I'm sure you would have done the same thing."

He made 'hmf' face at this, both of them looking displeased with each other.

"Uhm, I offered a prayer to the goddess of this world, Hylia." Colette started softly. They both looked at her, expecting her to continue. "I spoke to someone, in my mind. She called herself Zelda. She seemed to be trapped in very dark surroundings."

The blond Chosen embraced herself at this. The thought gave her chills, a very unsettling feeling. Zelos came to stand next to her, looking concerned and laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"It was just very...recognizable, yet different. She seemed to be in her own sort of prison. Because of this, she was not able to tell me much."

And Colette told them what she was told. At least now, the name of the hero was known. But it was still confusing. Zelos scratched the back of his head.

"Man, I wish we knew more of this place. Why is bud playing the hero anyway?"

"You've heard how the people are clearly in trouble. Something is going on that makes them distort. And you know how Lloyd is about people being in trouble."

"Leave no people in a bad place. Yeah, I know Jubblies." He sighed and sat on the armrest of the couch.

"I did find some books, you know. I don't know how helpful they will be. But it's all about history."

Sheena gestured to three books that were set on the table. Their titles were: 'Rulers of Hyrule,' 'How places came to be,' and 'Legends and Gods.' all of the books were counting loads of pages and Zelos groaned at this.

"We should've brought the professor and twerp along. They at least are fast readers. For us, this is surely gonna be an all-nighter."

"It cannot be helped." Sheena shrugged and picked up the book about places.

Zelos went for the rulers and that left Colette with legends. The quiet set in for some time, as they were all reading. Zelos was the first to go from reading to leafing through.

"All about the monarchy of this place. Not really interesting or useful. What about you, Jubblies?"

"Stop calling me that." Sheena knew that was never going to happen and sighed. "It's about all the towns and cities. how they were built, how some fell and others thrived. The mention of other races is interesting though."

They learned about the Goron, Zora, Rito Hyrulians and Gerudo.

"So, there are bird people here, that are friendly. They are _not_ like harpies. Keep that in mind," warned Sheena.

"We will. Are there any dangerous ones out there?" Colette wanted to know.

And yes, the book did mention all the creatures walking around, including the variations.

"Under the sand, there possibly can be a lizard creature? That's not a nice thought." The red-haired Chosen made a face.

"And there is even a sand monster. It's the one we heard mentioned before." Colette shivered. It was described like a whale in the sand, but as dangerous as a shark. Luckily it kept to specific area's and they'd seen the map; it won't be on route of getting out of the desert.

"What's in your book, little angel?"

"Well, it is a bit confusing. It mentions these are legends, but they are also true. And a hero is mentioned. The strangest part is that it's a constant repeat, like a vicious circle."

And so, the blond Chosen told them the legend she read about. Was Lloyd dragged into this? So yes, why and how? What happened to the real hero what someone from a completely different world was needed?

"My guess is, that the bad energy Kratos and I felt, was this Ganon, the evil entity that is mentioned. It's the mean thing the people here fear. But I can't find any mention of these Divine Beast things and what kind of influence Ganon has at the moment."

"Maybe that is something recent. From what you told us, it happens every so often and then the good guys have to jump in to stop it. It's almost like how the Chosen ritual went."

"Not really, Zelos." Sheena remarked with a frown. "I get that you want to relate it to something, but..."

"Hey, there is even a wish involved if you put all three pieces together. Just like with the eternal sword."

The ninja just shook her head at this. "At the very least we know more. We just have ask the right people about this Link guy."

"Don't forget Lloyd!"

"No, of course not, Colette. Come on, lets get some shut eye while we still can."

They all went to their own rooms to do just that.


	17. Chapter 15

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

Hanging from a Rito wasn't really all that great. For more than one reason. Yes, Lloyd did it before, but that was in the heat of the moment. He was busy doing other stuff. He didn't regard the sheer drop under his dangling feet, nor the sharp claws that were around his arms.

For Vera it was even worse, because it was her first time being up in the air. She was scared and even felt a bit sick, but she would never admit this.

So, they were both happy when the Rito started descending. Rocky mountains, tufts of grass and little water became clearer as they came closer. There was a tower in the distance and a stable, not to far away.

Casting a great shadow over this all, was the big volcano, being very clearly active. It was fittingly named Death Mountain, so Lloyd had heard. Not really comforting, he had to go up there, after all.

"We dare not get any closer than this. The heat and danger from the mountain..." one of the Rito started.

"Don't worry. You've brought us far enough. Thank you, we'll take it from here." Lloyd nodded to the two ladies.

Both of them bowed their heads. "Thank you for setting us free. Good luck." After this, they flew up and back towards their home.

Lloyd took out the Slate when it made a soft beeping sound. Before he could really take a look at it, a voice spoke up.

"Hm, where ever did you get that?" A man walked towards the two of them. His posture was crooked and he was wearing big, goggle glasses. This paired with a slightly dirty lab coat, and the notepad he was carrying just screamed scientist.

Because of his posture, the man seemed smaller and he was looking up at Lloyd, or more specifically the Slate that was in the teen's hands.

"Ah, excuse me?" Lloyd only played half dumb; where this this guy even come from?

The man pointed at the device and made a 'hmf' face. "A Sheikah Slate isn't just handed out. By my knowledge, there should only be one out there." He adjusted his glassed and got uncomfortably close to Lloyd. "No blond hair, or blue eyes. Show me your battle scars!"

"What?" Just what the hell was up with this guy?!

"Alright, personal space, have you ever heard of that? Who are you, anyway?" Vera went to stand in between them, so that the man had to back off.

Unsure on what to say, Lloyd looked and waited for the man to elucidate.

"I am doctor Robbie, director of the Akala Ancient Tech Lab. I am an expert in ancient Sheikah technology. Though a certain someone specializes in this Slate specifically. I know my fair share, however."

"Really?" After looking over this so-called Robbie for a moment, Vera turned to Lloyd.

"Do you think he is telling the truth?"

"Hey! I can prove it. Give you information only a smart fellow like me would know." Robbie cleared his throat. "You can teleport to any Shrine you have unlocked on your way. Take a look on your map, tap a Shrine. You'll see. Don't press it though, you may not have a way back."

It was clear this doctor was a keen talker, certainly when he knew what he was talking about. Still, just to check, Lloyd tapped the map on the Slate. The only Shrines he had touched were the ones on the Great Plateau and the one in Kakariko. But sure enough, when he touched a marker, a window popped up, with 'travel' or 'cancel' as it's choices.

Robbie stood on his toes to see this. "Didn't I tell you? Why do you only have a map of the Plateau? That is not going to help you in the long run. Wait, wait, back up. Why do you have this?"

The doctor now demanded to know, glaring up at the teen. Lloyd looked at Vera first, for her 'okay'. She just shrugged.

"He seems to be telling the truth. Maybe we can get some more useful information out of this all."

"Everything?" The teen informed.

"If you don't want to, that is your dissension. But he may have something useful for you."

This was very possible. The tip about being able to travel was useful already. He'd have to check it out later. Lloyd nodded after mulling it over for a moment and give a quick as possible explanation of it all, up until now.

Robbie curiously listened, scratching his chin and taking some notes while nodding.

"I am a man of science. I need proof, solid proof before I believe something is real. Do you have this to back your claim, that you are from another world?"

"Uh, well. My exsphere. But I can't really demonstrate it." Or rather, Lloyd didn't want to take the risk. The burst of energy he had earlier, came out of nowhere. Who knows when or how he can call upon it again?

Still, Robbie studied the jewel on his hand with interest, making use of his goggles to take an up-close look. After humming and nodding, Robbie looked up at the teen.

"So, your main aim is to help out with the Divine Beasts?"

"Well, yes. But we also hope to find clues about the lost hero. The Rito were our first choice because they can cover a lot of ground." Vera answered the question.

"Has there been an investigation at the Shrine of Resurrection?"

"I am sure chief Impa arranged for this. But we haven't heard anything." Which either means nothing has been found, or they were having trouble reaching them.

"Hm. Well, let me at least help you out. Here." Robbie reached out a small object that looked like a small square, comprised of wires and stuff like that.

"I made my own chip for the Slate. It will have the full map on it. May I?"

Lloyd just nodded; this technological stuff still went way above his head. The doctor slit the chip in the Slate and it spoke, saying it was processing. Then, the full map was there. Finally, all if it was in full view and in his hands. Even on this small device, it looked big.

"No new Shrines. You'll have to still unlock those and I would advise you to do so. For example, that one."

Robbie pointed to the Shrine that was on top of a large rock formation that was behind the stable.

"That way, if you have done the Beast up the mountain, you have a fast way back."

"Hey, that's very useful. Thanks a lot, sir!"

"Hmf. Another thing; I figure you can use this."

Robbie set his big travel pack down and after some rummaging, he held out something. Lloyd didn't really understand what it was. It seemed to be made to fit perfectly in ones hand, made out of metal.

"Here, just hold it."

"Oohké?" Confused, Lloyd took hold of this object...thing. Just what in the world was it?

Robbie then pressed down on the bottom and a glowing blade shot out with a 'zing'. The teen almost dropped it out of shock, but caught the handle in time, certainly impressed by it. The blue glow seemed cold, yet somehow comprised of energy. It gave of the warning not to touch it. The blade was decorated with swirls and holes.

Lloyd gave it a few test swings. It felt light, easy to handle, no doubt it would still be an effective weapon. He couldn't wait to try it out on something.

"Is that an ancient sword? Aren't those used by a certain type of Guardian?" Vera asked, intrigued as well.

"Very good. Though, I wouldn't expect any less of one of my own."

Robbie gave a small grin while trying to fashion his white hair somewhat. He utterly failed however. "The energy supply isn't infinite though, so try to us it with moderation."

"Energy? Oh, I see. That's what it runs on." Lloyd looked over the sword, found the little button and let the weapon 'power down.' Now it was just the handle again. Fascinated, the teen looked at this.

"For someone who is from another world, you seem very impressed by this," Robbie remarked. "Did you not mention magic before?"

"Magic isn't really my thing. I'm just a swordsman."

"A really good one. Don't sell yourself short, Lloyd."

"Thanks, Vera." A bit embarrassed, the teen scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, I shouldn't keep you. I will do my own research and share my findings with fellow Sheikah. We still have a pretty good network. Surely, if we work together, we'll get to the bottom of this."

Robbie looked very sure of this, with was encouraging. They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. It seemed the doctor went towards the south, while Lloyd and Vera only had to take a short walk until they reached the stable.

"Well, that was surely interesting. And also, lucky that we ran into him." Vera remarked.

"Yeah. Seems like Colette's luck has rubbed off on me." Lloyd chuckled.

Of course, the Sheikah didn't understand what he meant. "You keep saying that the adventure you went on with your friends is too long a tale. But we still have a long way to go. Maybe you can try telling bits of it? If you want?"

"Hm, well sure. I don't really mind sharing that. Hold up, I'm gonna grab this Shrine for that warp thing."

"Very well. I will check in with the stable owner."

Lloyd flashed a thumbs up and started climbing the rocks. He had done his fair share of this, so it went with relative ease. Clearing the Shrine seemed a waste of time.

Sorry for whomever is in there, thought Lloyd to himself, while he unlocked the Shrine, but did nothing more. There are more dire things at hand. Hopefully you'll find your peace soon.

There was a better view of the volcano, so Lloyd took a moment to observe it. Huh, I think this will be the first time visiting something like that. Sure, the temple of fire was hot, but nowhere close to an active volcano!

Agile, Lloyd jumped back down from the Shrine and met back up with Vera. She was inside, talking with a man, who presumably was the owner of the stable. Though she was wearing her Sheikah veil, Lloyd had learned a bit more how to read her eyes. And they didn't look happy.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked while joining her side.

"The volcano is very active. Meaning it's hot and also dangerous to go there."

"Not just hot, miss. Scorching! Like burning your clothes off! We do have some fire resistance elixirs. But they are in short supply."

The owner was an excited type of guy, energetic for no real specific reason it seemed.

"We only got three. That's just about enough for one person to get up there."

Vera sighed and looked at Lloyd. "See what I mean? I can't come with you once again."

"I'm sorry, Vera." The teen put a hand on her shoulder and give a small squeeze. "But you can still do your research so to say. You'll never know what you find."

A slow nod came from the Sheikah, even though it seemed somewhat in defeat. Lloyd let this go for now.

"I will be needing those elixirs, sir."

"Uh, alright there laddy, are you sure? The road there is dangerous, you know. Creatures creeping around, even a big ol' Guardian. And not even to mention the falling rocks!"

"Falling rocks?"

"Indeed! Death Mountain itself is angry with us I tell you. Spewing out hot rocks regularly. Not even the Gorons can appreciate that."

"Thank you for the information, sir. How much for those elixirs?"

Vera eyed the bottles the man had retrieved from behind his bar. The contents seemed dark and on the label was just a symbol of a flame. She just paid the amount the man asked for, it wasn't that bad, and then went to sit at a table with Lloyd.

"You need a plan."

"Plan? I figure it's pretty straight forward. There is just one way up there, right?" Lloyd leaned back on his chair, balancing it on its hind legs.

"You heard the man, that one way is filled with enemies. I think it's smart to learn how to sneak. That way you can get passed and be in top shape for the Beast. That's what you want, do you not?"

"Well, you know how to sell it." The teen sighed and set his chair back on all fours. "But I am the kind of guy to just go in..."

"And how did that work out last time?" Vera pointed to his side, where he got hit by the boss. "Sorry, but I have to get through to you. You just want to take down the Beasts to help out. So why waste your time with enemies on the way?"

Lloyd puffed his cheeks, not liking her comment. But he did realize Vera made a fair point. So, he slowly nodded.

"Then how much time is this going to take?"

"A quick course is a few hours. You won't to be an expert like me, but it will do for you. It helps that you are wearing Sheikah clothing. That said..." She pulled out a piece of cloth from her pack. It was black and she looked at his hair.

"Oh no. You are not touching that!"

"Lloyd, stop being so stubborn."

"My hair will be untouched."

"It will be for the good of all!"

Her lash, made the owner and his young daughter look in their direction. Vera lowered her voice.

"For your own safety," she added softly, reaching out the black cloth.

Lloyd sighed and took it. He had no real choice it seems. So, he bound down his wild looks, feeling very alien. Yes, even more so than the time he discovered he was in a totally different world.

"Alright. Let's practice outside." Vera was in her serious mode.

It was a good thing now. Lloyd wouldn't have liked it if she had laughed in his face. And so, he got basic sneaking lessons from the Sheikah. It felt naked not just carrying swords around and deliberately avoiding threats. But then again, they were told that the heat up the mountain could get so crazy, anything made of wood would burn, and metal even could heat up and melt.

The decision was made to just take the ancient sword Robbie had given him, since that could easily be put away. When the sun was setting, Vera ended the training.

"You know the basics. It would be beneficial to go up there in dusk."

"Less chance of detection, right?" Lloyd fiddled with his makeshift bandana, still not comfortable with it.

"Yes. Now remember; only engage in a fight if you have no other choice. No charging in, got it?"

Vera put her hands firmly on his shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. No worries, I won't. I'll be careful."

Lloyd gave her his goofy smile, before pulling up his face mask.

"If you are not back after three full days, I'll come look for you." Vera let go of him as he nodded.

"See you, Vera. I'll be back."

He waved and then he was off, going along the path towards the mountain. The real sneaking would only come in a bit later. With a sigh, Vera watched him go, very upset that she once again was not able to come along.

Will this be the case with all the Divine Beasts? Was this just part of the test and was the hero just meant to do this all alone? My, what a lonely thought. It was never easy to be a hero. Though she herself wouldn't know, she could imagine. And Lloyd already was a hero, however modest he might be about it. Vera had no real clue what he did, but saving his own world for sure was what she got.

Well, I still have some daylight. Might as well do some investigation here. Vera planned to start close by the stable and move outwards from there.

* * *

Luck was not on the shadow's side. The horse he had stolen, had hit a rock, so now it was no longer able to gallop. Shade did consider to just end it, but he didn't want to waste time on it.

Who knows how far ahead this imposter was? On foot, it would take longer, it was already getting dark when he spotted the lit up stable ahead. There was a high chance the people there have seen this person. A good description would be very useful indeed.

So, Shade headed towards the stable, playing with his dagger, not batting another eye to the horse. The burn from the Master Sword was still visible on his hand. He cursed her over and over for this. It was never fun to be taught a lesson like that. He'll teach her. He'll teach them all.

Shade grinned when he saw a young girl sleeping in one of the beds. The stable owner was just going about his business and no one else was around. This was indeed ideal. Like the shadow he was, Shade crept up to the girl unnoticed and then took hold of her, deliberately allowing her to scream, to get attention. He held up his dagger against her chin. The stable owner was of course shocked when he turned.

"My little Rosa! Please, don't hurt her!"

Shade grinned his white, terrifying grin. A child was such an easy way to get the things you want.

"Then tell me; have you seen someone with a small, square object, glowing with blue light?"

"Uh-uh...yes! Not too long ago."

"Tell me what this person looks like. Don't forget anything." Shade pressed the cold steel of his dagger against the young girl's skin, who made a terrified noise.

The owner had no choice to comply, giving an accurate description of the young man who had visited earlier. Even telling this shadow what kind of clothes he was wearing.

"Good. And where did he go?" Shade had a good guess, but he wanted to make sure.

The man opened his mouth to answer, but Shade had to jump out of the way of a sharp object, aimed at his feet. This caused him to let go of the girl, who ran to her father right away.

Angry, Shade set his ruby eyes on his new opponent who stood at the entrance of the stable, a throwing knife at the ready.

"A Sheikah, all the way out here. How interesting."

Shade dodged out of the way of the next projectile, still keeping distance, but not running. He wanted to figure out why this Sheikah was here now.

"Leave these people alone. This is your one and only warning."

A girl then. She didn't really try to mask her voice. With a dash, she closed in, knife at the ready. Shade backed away, going outside the stable. He didn't want limiting surroundings. Now he could go all out. Sheikah were not to be underestimated. But Shade had a lot of experience on his side as well. Of an age-old champion, hero and chosen of the gods.

The Sheikah was fast on her feet, and not just set on using her weapon. Fists and feet were also thrown in the mix. Vera had no real clue what kind of creature she was fighting. She had seen nothing like this before, so it seemed wise not to hold back.

This shadow was agile and hard to keep track of in the dark. But she was trained well, so she could hear her opponent still. He was more set on using his weapon, knowing a lot of tricks and flourishes with it. Every attack was used with a lot of force behind it.

It was an even match for a few moments. But Shade was toying with her. It had been a long time since he last had a good fight, so he at least wanted to enjoy it. There were more important things to do, however.

With a great force, he pushed with his next attack, causing his opponent to stumble. Giving no quarter, this dark creature was on top of Vera, pushing her against the ground.

Up close, this appearance was odd to say the least. The dark get-up, but with white hair made a big contrast, along with the oddly shaped, red eyes.

Grinning widely, Shade looked down on the Sheikah. "It was fun while it lasted. Are you by any chance a companion of this guy setting free the Divine Beast? Ah, no matter. I will get rid of you now."

Vera wouldn't be a Sheikah if she didn't have a trick up her sleeve. She triggered the hidden dagger mechanism in her boot. It shot straight into the shadow's shin.

Shade cursed because of the pain, and in this moment of pain, the Sheikah managed to turn the tables. Vera rolled on top of the creature, grabbing the dagger from her boot and holding it up against his cheek.

"Who are you!?"

For a second, the shadow didn't look happy. But that turned around quick, with him laughing like crazy.

"I've wasted enough time here. See you later, Sheikah."

After saying this, the shadow sunk into the ground, completely disappearing.

"W-what?" Panting, Vera looked around confused. She still was on edge, expecting this creature to appear again.

It didn't. All went quiet, like nothing ever happened. Slowly the Sheikah stood up and looked around. No sign of it, not even any tells. Just what in the world was that? She was sure she didn't imagine it, due to the marks she gained from the battle.

She never before heard of such a creature. It seemed very human like, but unnatural at the same time.

Vera walked back to the stable, to check up on the people there. Luckily the owner and his daughter were unharmed.

"Thank you so much for your save, Sheikah. I'm sorry I gave that terrifying creature a description of your friend." The man looked very guilty.

"He asked about Lloyd?" That was what he meant earlier. For some reason, this creature was after Lloyd.

I have to warn him! But how? He is already on his way and I'll burn going up there. But that would probably also mean that this shadow couldn't reach him. She could only hope, Lloyd will be safe.


	18. Chapter 16

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

Another some what longer chapter. I'm sure that isn't a bad thing! Also, thanks again for the reviews, I love how nice and excited they are. If you haven't reviewed yet, I'd really appreciate it :)

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Stealth was never really his thing and it never will be, Lloyd was certain about that. Of course, he knew going in head on wasn't smart, but he only learned this over the course of the journey. In this case, he was out of place, didn't exactly know what was waiting for him and it would be overall smarter to arrive at the end.

Still, he'd imagine it would have been worse without. He did spot the rock like creatures Vera had called Gorons. And yeah, they looked mostly like a big boulder, but with a face, big arms and hands. Lloyds wasn't sure he should approach them yet. Sure, they were a peaceful folk, but still seemed a little rough around the edges.

Real climbing gear wasn't necessary, so he was told. And yes, the path that came into sight, leading up the volcano was not too slanted, it was still very rocky. It won't be a breeze, that much was clear.

Lloyd tilted his head, following the height of this mountain. Yeah, that was pretty high. Not to mention glowing with lava and spewing dark smoke. Maybe I could use that thing Revali gave me, Lloyd considered. Letting the current carry me up to at least a higher point and go from there.

If the professor were there, she would have given him a lecture about hovering and how heat brings in an extra factor, a high probability of making this a dangerous plan. But Raine wasn't there to stop the teen from doing foolish things.

Lloyd pulled out the green orb out of his bag, a bright glow coming from within the middle, lined with the shape of a bird.

How does this work? Lloyd found himself wondering, looking at this glowing object. Simply by concentrating on it like that, it seemed. A current swiped up around him, going up. This itself was not enough to lift the teen off the ground. Not knowing how long the effect would last, Lloyd quickly got out the para glider, slid the orb in his pocket and folded it open.

Woosh! The sheer rush, the feeling in the pit of his stomach. It felt great and scary at the same time. The first time he was picked up like this was during his training with Teba. Though he did it often, he'd never get tired of this initial feeling, this great rush. Was it adrenaline? Maybe, it had the same kind of feel to it.

Flying itself never really gave him this rush on the Rheiards however. The only time he got that was when he sprouted his own wings.

Lloyd shook his head, that still felt like such a dream. Speaking of, he needed to focus on what was happening now! A rock wall was fast approaching. A quick glance around, give him a place to go and he steered this way.

Now that he was completely out of his magical upward current, he could feel the influence from around. Yup, heat would do that to a light piece of fabric made for gliding. It was out of his control and he stunted to a different place, making a rocky landing.

"Auch... Well, at least I'm on a steep place, or in the lava." Lloyd shivered at this thought, despite the heat around him.

He could feel the heat, pressing on him like weight. But hey, at least he wasn't on fire. Quickly, Lloyd put away the glider before that would catch fire.

Let's not do that again, he noted to himself, taking in his surroundings. He had landed on a large, protruding rock, a steady stream of lava going around it like a glowing hot river. Okay, so he was lucky to land on this rock, but now he was stuck on it. He needed to either jump or go for another 'pick me up.'

Both were risky. The jump seemed quite far, a tick flow of lava bubbling between him and the next rock. Also, it was hard to see if said rock gave any help to his being stuck situation. So, flying again, just hope for the best? If anything, the heat pushed him up and never in to the lava...right?

Damn. Well, here goes nothing. You're in this now, Lloyd. Just do this quick, but smart. He took out the orb again, aiming his gaze on it, while making sure he'd ready the glider as fast as possible.

This time, it was full on concentration. The teen hung on the current, to look at his surroundings. The gust will disappear, he had learned, and it also kept him in just one place. He had to give himself up to the elements, try to steer as much as he could and just hope for the best.

Drifting, Lloyd spotted what looked like a path. Yes, so lucky! Putting his weight in, he went for it. It was not clear if it was luck or the graces of the goddess, but Lloyd was just very relieved he made it. Seeing all that very hot and deadly lava beneath you, doesn't exactly make you comfortable.

Putting away the glider, a strange sound drew the teens attention. It almost sounded like something sucking in air. A rock flew past his hair. He could feel it grace some locks, while it zipped by his face.

"What the..." Scanning the area the projectile came from, he at first saw nothing. Until a medium sized rock moved up and revealed a creature hidden underneath it, making that noise again.

To call it an octopus, was maybe a bit of a stretch, but there were some similarities. As to what it was doing; it was sucking in any loose things lying around that it could possibly throw with a strong blow. This time however, Lloyd saw it coming.

"One thing into another," he muttered as he found the hilt of the new sword he had gotten and pushed the button. The sword activated and he sliced away the rock that was coming straight for him. Then, the thing hid itself under its rock again, to Lloyd's astonishment.

"I know you are there. And still you chose to do that?"

Was this creature just very simpleminded? Lloyd knew that if you got close enough, it would be scared and stay in hiding. Vera had told him this. But as soon as you turned your back to it, you get a rock to the back of your head.

The teen stepped closer, swatting off another projectile with his sword. And after that, he already was too close; the octorok did not pop up again. Lloyd was now standing right next to the rock, and no movement came from it what so ever.

How did it breathe? Was it even a rock it was hiding under? Curiosity got the better of him, so Lloyd lifted the rock slightly, finding it not heavy at all. The octo squeaked at being found out, then tried to lash out with its clearly way to short tentacles.

Lloyd felt sorry for the thing. It probably didn't know any better, was just trying to survive in its own way. The teen looked around, still holding on to the octorok that obviously wasn't pleased. Well, Lloyd saw one solution, looking down the path.

"I'm sure you're sturdy. Sorry, little one."

After the teen said this, he threw the creature down the road. Not too hard, but enough for a great distance between them.

That was an experience...Lloyd wiped the sweat from his forehead while he looked ahead. The path gingerly went up while winding around the rock wall. He had no clue how far he was, how far he still had to go. Well, no point lingering. Put your foot in front of the other and move forward.

One thing he did notice; there were not many placed to find cover. Except for maybe some bigger rock, this road was barren and open. No real sneaking around here. Oh well, it was useful while it lasted.

The sword was put away for now, because its hold was still metal that heated up in this environment. Now Lloyd also was extra wary of rocks, his pace was slow, on guard. If he'd see one more, he will just run straight past as fast as he could.

Next to the octoroks, the teen noticed some critters in the form of lizards, almost in the same color of lava. They were small and ran away as soon as Lloyd came in sight. They surely were fast. But he'd rather have these small ones, then the big ones that could blend in as well as attack you with a certain element.

Suddenly the heat hit him full on. There was no warning, no real change of scenery. Just a wall of heat that hit him like a ton of bricks and brought him to his knees. Was his mouth so dry this whole time? Did it always feel like his head was on fire and he was walking on hot coals?

"Hey there, goro. Are you alright? You don't look it. What you feelin'?"

One of those boulder people was suddenly next to him. It startled Lloyd, he didn't even see this guy coming. Still, priorities.

"Wa-water." His mouth felt like sand paper and dust.

"Ah, no worries, goro. I gotcha."

The Goron had a travel pack on his back, from which he retrieved a bottle with the clearest looking water. Thankful, the teen took this and started to drink.

"You must have felt the effect of the heat proof elixir wearing off. Yeah, that's a mean one if you aint used to it."

Cheerful the Goron laughed. The elixir, of course! Idiot, you were told it won't last all the way! Lloyd looked for the second elixir in his bag right away, while sipping the water. It did give some relief and cool down. He was happy with that.

In one swig, he emptied the next bottle of being fire proof. Wiping off his forehead, he noticed still having the bandana on, so he took this off. He had a feeling stealth was no longer needed.

"You alright there now, goro?"

"Uh, yeah. Thanks a lot, you're a lifesaver."

"We rarely get humans up this path, so I'm happy to help. But it will get dangerous further up."

"I have heard, but I'm gonna help out with that."

A hint of disbelieve in the big, round black eyes of the Goron was clear, when Lloyd pointed to the active volcano. To this, he just nodded and decided to walk on, now knowing he didn't have too much time with the elixir's effect.

"There is a mine ahead, it's safe in there!" The Goron called after him.

Something to keep in mind. Reinvigorated, he bravely walked on. There were no eruptions as of yet, but Lloyd kept his guard all the same. The mentioned mine came up a short walk later.

This was the first time Lloyd saw Goron's active, moving around and working. When they wanted to move fast, they rolled up in a ball to get around. It was interesting and funny to see. How did they find their way like that, did they not get dizzy? The teen found himself wondering, while he watched for a moment.

It was a mine, the Goron's were hacking away at various stones. And hey, was that a human? A guy was running around. It looked like he was chasing after the small lizards who were around. But they were too quick and small for him.

"What are you doing?" Lloyd was curious to know.

The guy turned to him. He was wearing a weird sort of helmet, it almost looked like a welder's mask.

"These little lizards are an important ingredient for any heat resisting recipe. I gotta catch as many as possible."

"Like the heat proof elixir?"

"Exactly. I don't need it myself, because I got this." He tapped his helmet.

"Eh, is that enough?"

"Well, not fully. But it helps a bunch. A complete set from the city would completely nullify the heat. But the way from here is hard, with all the eruptions going on. Its hindering anyone to go."

"Even the Goron themselves?"

"Well, yeah. They are a a bit more durable, so some do travel. But I hear most just keep in their home for shelter."

"It's all the work of that thing in the mountain." A child Goron was close enough to hear the conversation going on. Both looked at this kid.

"Thing? Do you mean the Divine Beast?" Lloyd inquired.

"All the fire, eruptions. That thing ruins our home." Of course the kid sounded sad. People were suffering under a certain presence.

This was hitting very close to home. All the suffering people were under, because of Cruxis, no, Mithos. All because of his twisted sight on things, him projecting his pain onto others.

Lloyd shook his head, he had to put these thoughts aside. It didn't apply to this, to here and now. The teen knelt down before the kid; he was still so small he had to look down.

"Don't worry, kid. I promise you will be able to life safely again, no longer in fear."

Here he went making promises again. Lloyd did this to a fault. He was kind of aware of this. But it was part of who he was. He wouldn't make promises he couldn't keep. The last one was a bit of a struggle, but it all worked out.

With will, hope and courage, much can be accomplished. Of course, Lloyd would add friendship to this as well, but in this case he was alone. He didn't like it, but he still had them with him. In his mind and his heart, everyone was with him. And that was what was giving him strength.

The wonder in the kid's eyes made Lloyd smile, while he stood back up. "I'm gonna go to your hometown and help out, you can go home soon, just you wait!" He flashed him a thumbs up.

When Lloyd stepped towards the way forward, the guy spoke up.

"Wait! It's dangerous. The eruptions are very frequent, there is no real timing on it. Whenever you feel the ground shake, find shelter fight away!"

"Thank you for the advice." Lloyd smiled with a nod to the guy and then really got going.

The mentioned eruptions didn't wait long. A slow rumble was the first indications, turning into a small earthquake. Luckily, the path seemed to be prepared for this, as it was littered with shelter, like caves or sturdy, leaning rocks.

It seemed the Gorons at least tried to make it possible to go up this path, for that rare crazy person who wanted to do so. More probable was their hopes for the hero to come to save them from this whole situation.

They might look sturdy, and even cheery, from what Lloyd had seen of the Goron people. But they were suffering all the same, that much the kid made clear.

That the eruptions were hard to time, was no joke as well. Sometimes, there was a long pause in between, other times, there were mere seconds. Good thing there was so much shelter. But it did pose a problem; it took up time. And Lloyd was on the last of his second heat proof elixir, he could feel it.

He had no real clue how far he had to go for the city itself. And even if he made it, it was still going to be hot and dangerous. This didn't stop him however. He would never give up, Lloyd was stubborn like that.

Now on his last elixir, the teen pressed on, while being rained on by molten rocks and lava. Zelos would have called him absolutely crazy, doing this for people he didn't know the first thing about. But the softhearted idiot wouldn't have stopped him either, probably finding an excuse to go along with his bud.

After rounding a bend, everything suddenly seemed to open up. The path now went straight ahead in a slope, leading to what seemed like a typical entrance post to indicate a town. To the left, the volcano rose ever higher, looming over this place almost menacingly.

Lloyd noted something important though; the lack of shelter on this last stretch. It was clear that the boulders of the eruptions were the cause of this, they were scattered around everywhere. Due to the path's edges being steep, nothing much could stay up to form a natural kind of shelter. There were only three, all made of sturdy, looming rock.

This was going to be a challenge. There was no timing, it just had to come down to sheer luck. Had he wasted that all coming up this far? Well, there was only one way to find out. Now it was quiet, Lloyd bolted for the first shelter.

He wasn't planning to go for it again, even though the pause seemed long. An eruption came five seconds later. He wouldn't have made it to the next one, the teen was pretty sure of that. After this, he ran as quick as he could, going for the next shelter. He got there just in time.

Man, it's a good thing these rocks are so sturdy. I don't want to know what it's like to get caught up in one of these!

Again, it was good that he waited for a moment; another eruption came, close after the other. Lloyd looked at the city ahead. The end was in sight, yet he couldn't quite get to it. It was frustrating for sure.

After two close eruptions, certainly the next pause will be bigger, right? That was Lloyd's line of thought when he went for it. But the next shelter was further away and the shaking combined with the heat that was raising up, made it all far harder.

He was not going to make it. Too far ahead and running back was just as useless. Was this really going to be it? Being crushed by rock so close to the place he needed to go?! Making himself as small was possible, was the only thing the teen could think of. And pray to the goddess he will not be hit.

After the rumbling was over, he suddenly felt himself getting picked up. "Not save here." A young, male voice almost squealed, running with Lloyd under his arm.

The heat pressing on him, made him slow, and he felt like just closing his eyes to go to sleep. Only to be shaken out of it at the last second. Noticing the pressing heat was significantly less, Lloyd felt his strength come back, as well as his alertness.

A Goron was in front of him, looking worried. Two things stood out about this one. First: the bright blue scarf he was wearing and second, the little tuft of hair on the head. Up until now, Lloyd only seen ones with safety helmets on, so who's to say they didn't all have this?

"A-are you okay? Can you hear me?" The Goron looked worried but seemed shy at the same time, his eyes shifting to another Goron that was with them.

"Count your lucky stars," said this Goron. "Yubono here saw you in a tight spot and protected you with his special shield. That was pretty heroic of yah, brother."

"Ooh, you think so?" The obviously young Goron said, shyly scratching the back of his neck.

"You saved my life. I'm so in your debt, thank you!"

Lloyd went to shake the Goron's hand. Because he was young, he was not that much bigger than Lloyd himself, but that handshake; oef, that was a strong one.

"Sorry, I should have thought of that. And I couldn't just leave you out there."

"So, you caught rocks for me?" That was still amazing. Also, because there was not a scratch on Yubono. Even if he was a sturdy Goron, you'd at least see something, right?

"I... have special protection. Nothing goes through it."

An orange glow appeared around Yubono, in a sphere like shape. Lloyd reached out to touch it. Even though it looked see-through, it was solid, and seemed to push his hand back. This was the closest to magic the teen had seen here yet.

"How are you doing that?" Lloyd asked impressed.

"Um..."

"Yubono, don't be nervous, you used your gift well, that is nothing to be ashamed off." The other Goron said calmly.

"Yeah, you are my savior!" Lloyd chimed in.

"I-I should go." Yubono rolled up and got away quickly this way.

The Goron left, sighed. "He still feels he can't live up to his grandfather." Of course, he got a confused frown from that remark. "Daruk, the Champion, meant to tame Vah Rudiana. Sadly, everything went wrong."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I should still try to talk to him, because he was heroic!"

"Very true. But hold on there, goro. You can't go outside. The heat will get to you right away. We rarely get humans here." He studied Lloyd curiously. "You must have a really good reason to be here."

"Yeah, I do. I guess I need to speak to the chief about it." That was what happened last time, so it only seemed logic. They seem to have the necessary information.

The Goron nodded in understanding, not even asking any further. He walked to a corner of the small, stone home to pick up something. It turned out to be some kind of suit. The kind Lloyd's dad would sometimes wear when he had to make something involving a lot of heat and danger of flying cinders.

"I think you can make use of this. It will be heavy, but it will give you heat resistance, about equal to an elixir. There is a shop where I work for, where we sell a whole set. Then you'll be fully protected. That is up to you though, if you want to get it. It aint cheap. Good luck, goro."

"Thanks a bunch. You sure I can have this?"

Lloyd took the suit. It was no joke it was heavy, but he had built up strength he would like to say, so the teen was able to hold it up.

"Yes, Goro. I got a feeling you can really use it."

"Wow, thanks again. Where do I find the chief? Oh, and what about the eruptions?"

"When you step out and look int the city, you will see a shrine. The building closest to that is where the chief lives. You don't have to worry about the eruptions. For some reason, the city is not suffering under them."

That was a bit odd. While Lloyd put on the hefty suit, he wondered about this. It was mentioned the Divine Beast caused the eruptions, though how, wasn't clear to him. Was it targeting the area around the town so that no one could get out, or in?

At the very least, the chief should be able to tell Lloyd a thing or two. The Goron helped him with the fastening clips, so the suit would stay in place.

Lloyd nodded to him in thanks and headed outside. The city wasn't too big, then again it was built in and around rocks. The shrine was easy to spot, being almost in the center, and raised up. It would probably be smart to unlock that one, just in case. He wished he had done so in Rito Village.

First try to speak to the chief. There was a rock building in front of the shrine, that seemed different than the others. Only a tarp was blocking the doorway, so Lloyd carefully pulled it aside.

"Uh, excuse me?"

The inside was actually quite simple; it was mostly a big seat, on which an older looking Goron sat. He had a big, white beard, tied together at several places. Some rocks were protruding out of his shoulders and back. Dark sports dotted his sand colored skin.

"Eh, who is there?" Old age cracked through this Goron's voice while he squinted his eyes to see better. "Huh, a human, all the way up here?"

"Yes, sir. I've come here to help you with the Beast."

The chief leaned forward. "Come closer."

Lloyd just went along and stepped closer. Still squinting, the chief looked him over.

"I know what you are going to say: I don't look like the hero. But I have what's needed and already helped out the Rito."

Lloyd pulled out the Slate to show it. Disbelieve crossed the old Goron's face.

"Some have reported seeing the great beam going towards the castle. This was really your doing?"

"Yup. I want to help out with this one as well. Do you have information about the Beast?"

"Hmm. I suppose there are reasons for changes here. But as long as you can tame Vah Rudania, that is all that matters. The road, is the path up the volcano, Death Mountain. It's a dangerous one. Deadly, if you do not have the right protection. The Beast will keep sending eruptions and small flying Guardians until the treat is dealt with. It also hides cunningly in and around the volcano, making it hard to reach."

This was sounding like an almost impossible task. But there had to be a way. There always was a way!

"Yubono can help you. He inherited Daruk's protection. You will need that to get to the top. Sadly, that kid did not inherit any of his grandfather's bravery."

"You are wrong. He does have bravery, in his own way. He was the one who protected me from an eruption." Lloyd made a fist and rose it as a show of strength.

"Hmm. Well then, I hope for you he will keep that up. He will know the way. If he is doubtful, tell him he can for-fill his duty with going with you."

Oh, I'm not going to tell him that, Lloyd thought to himself. Duty, destiny, you shouldn't be bound to it so hard. It wasn't always a straight lined as it seemed. Lloyd knew that from seeing this back in Colette and Zelos. They were destined to die, and still, they didn't. Another way was found.

As long as you had the will to change the norm, you will be able too. It's wrong to force someone. Yubono showed some bravery already. It's probably deep within him, and Lloyd will try to get this out of him.

"There isn't much more. We don't know much about Vah Rudania."

So, going in kind of blind once again. Fine, there was no real other way.

"Any clue where I can find him?"

The chief shook his head. "That child goes every which way. Ask around."

Lloyd nodded. "Thanks for the info, I will go to tame the Beast."

"I pray for a good outcome. Good luck, goro." It was an interesting praise, all Goron's seemed to use. And if they were closer, it seemed to be 'brother'.

Time to ask around about Yubono's whereabouts. One Goron pointed Lloyd to the other exit of the city, saying that he saw the young one go that way. After quickly unlocking the shrine (it was on the way), the teen walked out, spotting a large lava river ahead. That was crazy. How were they able to live here? Was is always like this, or did it get worse because of the Beast?

Spotting another Goron, Lloyd approached this one, asking about Yubono. "Yeah, I saw him alright. He went down toward the old mining spot. Donno why though, that place can be dangerous with the Lizalfos there."

Then why would he go there, if this was a known fact? Worried and also wondering why this Goron didn't do anything to stop his fellow kinsmen, Lloyd went down the road he was pointed too.

For some reason, this mine was in the middle of the lava lake. Maybe this was why it was old; it was probably claimed by the deadly stuff. Also, it didn't look like a mine. It was just a collection of big rocks, poking out of the lava. On some if these rocks, Lizalfos were standing around. Their color was adjusted for their surroundings, which was interesting. But Lloyd was looking for Yubono, and he couldn't spot him.

While scanning the area, Lloyd noticed some strange contraptions made of metal which mostly had the shape of a canon. The farthest rock was the biggest, which seemed to have a typical, stone building. This one seemed to be blocked of by rocks, however.

"Yubono, can you hear me, are you here?!" Lloyd called out as loud as possible.

This attracted attention from the Lizalfos, but it was not like they could reach him. Unless they were able to swim in lava... No, that would be absurd.

Despite the noise of bobbling lava and the mountain itself, Lloyd could hear a faint 'help me' coming from the blocked building. It was safe to assume that Yubono was stuck in there.

How to get him out, was the question. Lloyd took a closer look at the canon. He did remember the bombs the slate could make out of nowhere. It was worth a try. He made a round bomb appear and dropped it in the bulky canon. A big handle was close by, and the fact the contraption was on a rail, made Lloyd think this was the turning system.

At the moment, the canon was pointing at nothing. With some effort, he pulled the lever. It turned with a lot of noise, and pointed straight at a couple of Lizalfos, together on a rock. Having no clue if this was going to work, Lloyd stepped back and tapped the 'detonate' button.

The bomb flew out with force, with great speed it hit right in between the big creatures and went 'boom'. They went flying, all three of them hitting the lava and sinking in. Lloyd was sure this killed them. Interesting enough, the explosion blew away some rocks, which created an upward airflow.

Curious, but also useful. There was no real way to cross the gap, this gave Lloyd one. But would it work? He was wearing heavy armor now, would the light glider still hold him up? It would be smarter to test this first with Revali's gale instead of jumping over lava.

To Lloyd's surprise, he was still lifted up with ease. Might as well make use of this height and go as close to the place where he heard Yubono. A bit of bad luck struck, because he headed for a rock with more Lizalfos. They spotted the floating intruder, and began spitting fireballs from their mouths.

Why does this still surprise me, Lloyd thought. The one in the snow spit ice at me. In order to dodge the fireballs, Lloyd just dropped (it wasn't that far) and drove his special sword right in one of the creature's heads. He drew back the sword right away, slicing at the throat of a second Lizalfos.

Ducking under the fireball of the last one, Lloyd rammed in this one, causing it to lose balance and fall backwards into the lava.

Now, Lloyd was faced with a problem. Between him and the destination, there was quite a gap. And for some reason, the orb of Revali wasn't reacting anymore. Its glow was completely gone. He didn't understand why. Was he stuck here now, really?

The teen looked around, trying to find any way out of this situation. On the side, the was a small island, with a canon on top of it. He could make it, just using the glider and the warm air, hopefully.

The canon seemed to be set on the construction he needed to get to. Maybe I can hitch a ride. Yes, it's a crazy thought, but I'll jump of in time. It'll be fine!

So, Lloyd went with this crazy thought, floating to the island. He spotted some more rubble, just like the pile he blew up before that released airflow. Yeah, that would be a safer bet.

That pile had to go first. It did expose exactly what was expected. Then, Lloyd tried to aim at the rubble blocking the building. It wasn't quite right. This meant it had to be timed.

"Yubono! I don't know if you can hear me, but I am gonna get you out of there! Just protect yourself." Lloyd called out as loud as he could.

After two misses, the third shot was right on, blowing away the rocks, covering the entrance of the building. Lloyd hurried to take a ride on the air current and reached the end goal.

Yubono was inside the building still. He seemed to be unharmed, but he was shaking of fear, his protective shield glowing brightly. His back was turned and he was all huddled up, letting out little whines.

Lloyd closed in slowly. "Hey, it's okay. It's just me. You're safe, no need to be afraid."

"Huh?" With a sniff, Yubono turned and spotted the human.

It wasn't hard to recognize him; his hair was unique already, next to that he was the only human around these parts. Lloyd gave him a comforting smile, stepping in the small building. Next to a chest and a really big kind of weapon the teen had never seen before, it was empty.

"Are you okay?"

Yubono gave a small nod after a moment of recollecting himself, dropping his shield. "You...you've come to save me?" He asked with a small voice.

"It's the least I could do, after what you did for me. Oh, I never introduced myself, did I? I'm Lloyd Irving."

"Heh, you are pretty alright, Lloyd. Thank you." Yubono smiled.

"So, why are you here anyway?"

"Oh, um. It's pretty stupid." The young Goron scratched the back of his head, his gaze now fixed on the oddly shaped weapon. "I thought: 'I already did one courageous act, I can do another one.' I came here to retrieve the chief's favorite weapon. But then all those scary creatures showed up. I closed myself in... like a coward. I'm useless."

Yubono looked down at the ground. The teen shook his head, laying a hand on his rock like arm.

"Bravery and courage aren't gained in one day. And you don't have to constantly proof yourself just so others think better of you. You shouldn't have to live up to someone else. That just isn't fair. You just do what you can do, what you are comfortable with. You are you. Not your grandfather. You do things your own way."

"Do things my own way... I never thought of it like that. I do not need to prove myself." Yubono nodded to these words. They really gave him a boost. "I am willing to help and that should be enough."

Lloyd nodded, smiley approvingly. "Good, a great resolve indeed. Let's get out of here. I got an easy short cut."

"Huh, short cut?" Yubono looked confused, picking up the heavy looking weapon with relative ease.

"I haven't tried it yet, but I was told it would work."

Lloyd pulled the Slate from his bag. As soon as the Goron laid his eyes on this, they became like big, dark orbs, filled with surprise.

"That's..." looking at the Slate, his eyes then shifted to Lloyd himself. "You are..."

The teen just smiled, and then tapped the 'travel' button, next to the shrine that was in the city. The both of them were engulfed by a blue light, which got so bright, they saw nothing for a couple of seconds. When their sight came back, they were both standing on the round platform of the shrine.

Good, so it does work. That's a relieve, Lloyd thought to himself.

"Wow. That is amazing! I'm so honored to be in the presence of the hero himself!" Yubono cupped a hand of the teen with both of his and shook enthusiastically.

"Hey, easy there. I..."

Lloyd had to muffle a yawn. He was feeling the fatigue set in. Because of all the smoke and brightness of the lava, it was hard to tell how much time had passed. Did he climb the mountain all through the night? No wonder he felt his legs burning up.

"Oh, sorry, you must be tired! There is an inn right over there." Yubono pointed out the building, south east from them. "Take the rest you need. I will go see our chief. Thanks again, hero!"

Lloyd wanted to correct him, but the Goron already rolled away towards the chief's home. Inn, sleep. That was on Lloyd 's mind now. He stumbled to the building, which was mostly carved in a small cave. He put down the right number of rupees, planning to just face plant into a bed.

"I can help with that armor. You won't sleep well in that thing." the owner offered.

Good point. Lloyd allowed the Goron to help him with taking of the armor. With that heavy thing of, now Lloyd could drop himself on the soft bed and drift off into a very deep sleep.


	19. Chapter 17

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

Stealing a horse was not really what Kratos wanted to do. But he didn't have any of the wanted currency and he was in a hurry. Flying still wasn't an option, much to his own annoyance.

So, under the cover of night, when everyone at the stable was fast asleep, he sneaked out. He mostly stayed there to study the map of the world, intently. He needed to know exactly where to go.

Zora's Domain, he was told, was the best option, to see Lloyd. To find his son and bring him back home. Kratos just had to cross a big plain and he'd practically be there.

The strange, walking apparatus looking like a big, crawling insect, did catch Kratos his attention, while he made the horse gallop towards the plain. They seemed to have the same design as the flying things he brought down earlier. What did the merchant call them, Guardians?

The closer Kratos got to the dark, corrupted castle, the more of them seemed to be around. Both flying and walking ones. Their charging and firing lasers were a bit slow to keep up to a speeding horse.

When it got too close, however, the animal got spooked. This made it so that Kratos would have no choice but to deal with the Guardian. Of course, these robot like things were no real challenge to him. It was obvious to him the eye was in fact their weak point.

A couple of well-aimed stabs later with his sword, the thing set itself up for explosion. Kratos dodged back to a safe distance to let this happen. The horse thankfully didn't run to far off. Kratos petted the nose and then saw why the animal stayed close; a lot of those Guardians were roaming around.

He sighed at the sight of this. "I will take care of those that block the path. Stay here." It was like talking to Noishe. That creature always seemed to understand him, so why would a horse be any different?

With his sword and swiftness, Kratos made quick work of several Guardians, walking and flying ones. He did not need his special powers for this. He was a trained man after all, very much so with years, no ages, of experience. After taking down five, Kratos walked back to the horse like it was nothing, petting the nose again.

"You alright to go on now?"

The animal breezed, seemingly nodding. "Good, let's hurry then."

Kratos got back on the back of the horse and they were off again. When getting more removed from the castle, the Guardians were less of a presence. Strange, pig like creatures took their place. It was interesting that they were able to ride horses. Swinging swords, clubs, lances and a few firing arrows, they were going for a full assault on this lone rider.

Six against one. Not very honorable. But fine. The horse seemed alright with it this time. Kratos was not used to combat on horseback, but you have to work with what you got. It seemed the pig creatures were in the same boat, swinging their weapons and often missing while riding by.

The only archer was doing a decent job; Kratos had to duck or deflect some of the arrows. Doing two things at once wasn't exactly new to him. Flying and fighting for example. But maneuvering a horse around in battle while swinging a sword was something completely different.

His opponents had their own problems, it seemed. They were too small for the big animals they were riding, so their balance was off, as well as their overall control. Kratos took care of them all in a matter of maybe ten minutes. He made sure not to harm the horses themselves; they were forced into this situation after all.

Kratos noticed his own horse breathing was more troubled. After all that galloping and maneuvering around, it must be exhausted. He noticed a stable, not too far away. After the service this animal had done for him, he at the very least owed the horse this much.

"Just a little more and you can have your rest."

Stroking the horse's neck, it meandered forward, gaze set on the stable, understanding the rider's promise very well. A girl already seemed to be waiting for them, taking the reins of the very tired animal.

"I saw what you did out there, sir. You have my greatest gratitude. Those bandit Bokoblins have been bothering us for months."

Kratos jumped of the horse and just nodded to the girl's words. "Please, feel free to have some food or well-deserved rest. It is on the house." She smiled and bowed lightly, before guiding the horse to food and a place to rest.

The Seraphim thought he might as well take up the offer. He could effort to spend a night. As he was told, he'd probably have to wait for Lloyd when he got to this Domain anyway. As far as he understood it, at least until another one of those beams appear. He'd rather not miss his son completely by being too impatient.

Inside the building shaped like the horse's head, it was the same deal as the one he had been in before. No people were staying, probably because of the bandits Kratos just took care off. A man, probably the owner of this place, came up to him and forcibly shook Kratos' hand.

"Thank you for getting rid of those pesky bandits. They were a real pain. Can I get you something to drink, as a thank you?"

"Something strong is fine." Kratos said coldly, taking his hand back.

The owner smiled still, ushering his guest to take a seat and went to the bar to get a drink. Going along for now, Kratos took a seat on the simple stool. His eye spotted a book on the table and he decided to pick it up. It seemed someone had written in it; it was no officially printed book.

"That's what we call the rumor book. It's usually full of the latest news. But because of the situation, we haven't had a visitor for quite some time."

The owner explained this as he set a glass with small contents in front of Kratos. Scanning over two pages, the Seraphim took the glass with his free hand and took a whiff. It smelled a lot like whiskey. He took a sip. Yes, it was whiskey.

Funny how different worlds insist on having similarities. It's not like alcohol had any effect on him, so Kratos could drink as much as he would like. But the still paced himself, to not raise any suspicion.

The rumors in the book went on about local things happening. It didn't mean anything to him. And like the owner had said, they didn't have the latest news.

"So, where are you from, stranger?" The owner was curiously looking over this visitor, looking at his clothes and features.

Kratos just gave the man a look that said: 'none of your business.'

"Right, I'll leave you be." The owner was disappointed. He obviously was hoping for a conversation. It had been a long time and the stable girl he had working for him was getting on his nerves with her childish blabbering. Hopefully now that the bandits were gone, business will quickly pick up again.

Kratos pretended to read the book, while drinking his whiskey. When this was empty, he just decided to retire to one of the beds. He was not tired, but he had to keep the act up for now.

After a night of fake sleep, mostly thinking about what on earth his son was doing, Kratos got up at the crack of dawn. Out of sheer habit, he made the bed he slept on, to have no crinkles what so ever. He did the same to his clothing, 'ironing' them out with his hands while putting them on.

The only thing he was not really particular with, was his hair; Kratos just ran a hand through it and that was that. His son most definitely inherited that from him. Hopefully that was the only thing. Though, from what he had seen, that sadly was not the case. Does that mean history was going to repeat itself? Kratos certainly didn't hope so, for the sake of his son's sanity.

The owner was up as well, just barely. He was setting up for tea and coffee. "Early bird, huh? If you like, I can set up breakfast. Your horse can use just a little bit more rest."

"Very well." Kratos nodded, again taking a seat at the table.

A kettle was set up, with a tin to pour the hot contents in.

"You do not have to set up a grand breakfast just for me. I am a light eater."

"Ah, I see. I will keep that in mind."

Even though this stranger was weird and mysterious, the owner was happy he had showed up. Business will be back up in no time and he couldn't wait to hear the latest news and rumors.

After a quick breakfast, Kratos stood up, looking over at the owner and the stable girl, whom were still busy eating.

"Can I take the horse now? There is a place I need to be, so I need it."

"It is a he." The girl said this at an irritated tone. "At least give him a name after working him like that."

"Thea, don't be rude to our guests!"

"No offense taken. Thank you for your hospitality. I will be going now."

Kratos bowed his head and left the building. Social skills weren't his strong suit. He had listened to enough bickering during the journey to last a lifetime. A horse was at least quiet and works with you as long as you treat it well. Or him, as the stable girl had pointed out.

A name, however, he didn't plan on giving. He will probably release the animal when he got to his destination. The map in his head told him he now mostly had to go south-east, until he was to hit some hills and another stable.

The girl there waved him down, telling Kratos that the road ahead was dangerous and not fit for a horse. She offered for the horse a place to stay, but it wouldn't be free. So, Kratos decided to let the horse go free. Taking of his saddle and gear, he petted his nose one last time.

"You are free now. Take care."

The horse breezed and then slowly walked away, turning back to the wild. Kratos turned to the road ahead, which was one going between hills, leading towards a river in the distance. To his right, a tower stood, with a strange glow around it.

He had spotted them before and Kratos had no clue what kind of purpose they served. Not that he cared. Keeping pace, the Seraphim approached the river and the first bridge that went across it. However, interesting looking creatures were standing in front of it.

There were three of them, two of them armored and wielding long tridents as weapons. Their skin color was a blueish tint and even though they wore helmets, that didn't hide much of their fish like features.

The third didn't hide it at all. But this one was a vibrant red color, and taller, more muscular than the ones in armor. A long, fish like tail came from the top of the creature's head. Clear webbed hands and feet with sharp nails, put Kratos on edge. Just like those sharp, shark like teeth.

This red creature was talking to the two others. When he noticed the stranger, he turned and flashed his toothy, shark like grin. Kratos had to resist putting his hand on his sword, trying not to judge to fast.

"Heya there! I am prince Sidon, of Zora's Domain. I am here to warn travelers of the road ahead; it is very dangerous."

A prince that is a fish with shark features. How interesting. So, things were different around here. The bird creature had demonstrated this to Kratos earlier.

"Does a prince really have the time to do that? Your guards are good enough, don't you think?"

Sidon kept his wide smile at this sharp remark. "Very true indeed. I'm actually hoping to spot the hero here. This is the only way into our Domain, so it's a sure bet I will see him."

This confirmed it then. Lloyd was bound to come here. Kratos nodded in understanding.

"But what brings you here? Are you a traveler, or a salesman? I'm sorry, but the road ahead really is to dangerous..."

"I am waiting for my son," was Kratos his short answer. "What is going on up ahead?"

"Nasty beasts using our weakness to their weakness to their advantage. Electricity, puh." Obviously upset, Sidon made a fist.

"Sire, maybe you should head back. The next beam hasn't fired yet, it can take a while before he gets here," one of the guards said.

"Nonsense! They can miss me for a couple of days. And if any of those lizards rears its ugly head, you can count on me to fight along with you!"

The prince flexed his arm, showing off his muscles. Kratos huffed at this as he walked to the side of the road and set himself down against a rock wall. He could be patient, he could wait. Lloyd was a strong young man; he had proved as much.

Sidon talked some more with the guards, then decided to go stand next to Kratos, leaning against the wall.

"So, your kid huh? Have you lost sight of him or something?"

Kratos did not respond, he didn't feel the need to.

"Man, that got to be rough to be separated. I know my dad would break if anything like that happened to me. But you are pretty relaxed about it."

Sidon looked down at the man's sitting form. Brown-red eyes looked back up at him, without any emotions showing up in them. The Zora prince was taken aback by this for a moment. Was it that this man didn't care? Then why look or wait for his son?

"He is strong. And he did that all by himself. There is no doubt in my mind he will come here."

"Huh. I don't know why, but I believe you, old man."

Kratos wasn't sure if it was the way this guy spoke, his somewhat dorky smile or the fact he was colored red, he reminded him a lot of Lloyd. Staring straight ahead again, Kratos began to ponder his decisions, like he often did up in Derris-Kharlan.

Was it really all for the best? Yes, he gave Lloyd a few good pointers and fighting lessons. But his strength came from his friends, and his big heart. Would he still have that here, in a strange world where he was all alone? What was he fighting for? Why was he going around helping people who were total strangers to him?

Again, his big heart was the answer. He'd safe anyone in trouble, no questions asked. Sure, Kratos wished he'd be more careful about it, even less trusting. But somehow it always turned out well for the kid. Was it sheer luck? Maybe charismatics, in his own dorky way. He knew how to win people's hearts, even though he does it without realizing it. Yes, he felt pride for the boy, his son. He had certainly come a long way.

Leaning back against the wall, Kratos looked up at the sky. It had been raining non-stop ever since he got to this place. No matter, weather didn't bother him. The same seemed to go for the so-called Zora. Which was logical because they were fish people.

He couldn't help but wonder, how things were in this world. With the different species, undoubtedly there would have been turmoil. There always is. Whether it was religion, different points of view, discrimination... For now, the people seemed to be united to resist this one common treat. This dark, strong entity that drew him here. But to rely on just one hero? That seemed ludicrous.

Sidon studied this mysterious man curiously. The emotionless, distant look in his eyes didn't tell the prince much, only that he likely was not listening to what he was saying. How frustrating.

Well, he still had his guards to talk to at the very least. But the more mysterious some one was, the more Sidon wanted to find out. Might as well keep the conversation going, he'll break at some point, right?

* * *

The rumor of the human that came to their village was also the hero, had spread like wild fire. Mostly because of the enthusiasm of Yubono.

The Gorons decided to set up a great meal for the hero, who was not so gracefully snoring loudly in the inn. No one wanted to wake him from this deep sleep though, so they patiently waited until he woke up himself.

It was in the late afternoon, when Lloyd woke up with a great yawn, stretching himself. It felt like it was ages ago since he had that good of a night's sleep. Not that he had any uneasy nights, not that he thought anyway.

"Good to finally see you up, brother. Some have been waiting for you." The Goron inn keeper told him chipper.

"Huh, waiting for me?" Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Lloyd got up. He hoisted the armor suit back on, the Goron helping him fastening it again.

"Just go outside and you will see," he said with a smile.

Alright then. Lloyd just played along. Outside, a lot of Goron were gathered around a set table full of food. It was mostly meat, and what looked to be curry. They all gave Lloyd a wide smile and put their hands together for a loud applause.

"We are happy you are here, hero! Please, enjoy this feast in your honor." One of the Goron said.

Lloyd stood there in awe, staring at all of them and the feast they had prepared, just for him.

"But...I haven't done anything yet," he said weakly.

"Nonsense! We saw you helped the Rito. There is no doubt in our minds you can do that for us too!"

This remark was joined by a lot of happy chants. Lloyd spotted Yubono in the back of the crowd, looking guilty. Smiling, the teen took a seat.

"Thanks. I never say no to a great meal. And this looks delicious. I am going to do my very best for you all!"

Being the glutton that he was, the grand meal would not be a waste. The steaks were mouth-watering to look at, and tasted even better. He was curious about the curry here too. Presea was a great fan of this dish, so he figured he should try it for her.

"Lloyd, wait! That's..." Yubono was to late with his warning. The spoon full of curry already entered the teens mouth.

His eyes widened as he felt his throat burn up. His tongue felt numb as his whole mouth felt like it was on fire. Yubono hurried in and offered Lloyd a large cup of water. The teen downed it, while coughing up a storm. His eyes were seeing red as well.

"Haha, you humans really can't take a little heat huh?" A Goron laughed.

"Little?" Lloyd finally managed to utter between coughs, and a second large cup of water. "This feels like literal fire."

"Sorry. Our spice is actually not really meant for humans." Yubono said softly, looking very guilty.

"No kidding. I doubt even Presea could have taken that." The teen whipped the tears from his eyes, no doubt the red in them will linger a bit longer.

"It's my fault. I was so excited, told everyone about you."

"There is nothing wrong with that, Yubono. I get that." Lloyd had another long sip of water. "Speaking of, I think it's about time I get going."

The teen looked up toward the volcano. "Then, I will come with you."

"Huh? Yubono, are you sure?"

"Yes. You helped me out, so it's the least I can do. You are going to need protection."

His resolve seemed strong and set, so Lloyd nodded. "I really appreciate it. I don't really want to ruin the party, but..."

"I know, we can better get this over with. We can just go; they will just keep on celebrating."

Lloyd grinned and nodded, following behind Yubono since he knew the way.

"So, how is the situation there, do you know?" The teen rather would be prepared.

"Oh, right. Well, a lot of flying Guardians hover above the road. If they spot you, they alert the Beast and an eruption will trigger."

Yubono was shaking at the thought of it. The teen with him, gave him a pat on the arm.

"You are not alone. We can get through this together."

This was comforting to the Goron, who smiled and nodded. Together they walked on. Yubono brought down the big bridge with an impressive, powerful launch. No doubt the bulky, rock like Gorons were strong. So why did he feel so insecure? Was it really just because the people projected a role on him, he felt he couldn't fil? Was he afraid to end up the same way as this grandfather? Who presumably perished in the Beast, just like Revali did?

Now was not the time to ask those questions, however. The road ahead was a direct path around the volcano. As Yubono said, flying Guardians were hovering around.

Finally, Lloyd got to see the Divine Beast. It had stuck itself on the side of the volcano and looked mostly like a big, mechanic lizard. Its roar shook the ground and caused an eruption. Yubono called up his special shield, to protect the both of them.

"Thanks for that, Yubono. I think we're gonna need that shield of yours a couple of times more."

The Goron was visibly shaking, however. He clearly was scared, which was understandable being so close to the very thing that has been influencing their lives so much.

"I'll help you through this. We will find a save way up this mountain."

Yubono looked at him. "Really?"

"Yeah, I'll look at how the Guardians move and guide you through so no more eruptions happen. Deal?"

"Y-yeah. That sounds good." The young Goron nodded, putting his trust in Lloyd.

Because of the teens previous experience with flying Guardians, Lloyd knew they always had the same route. Yubono was still somewhat jittery, so the teen guided him past them one at the time. With nothing happening, the Goron felt a bit safer.

Looking past the next bend, however, they spotted a canon set up, and one big, tall creature seemingly guarding it. Taking cover under a leaning, big rock, Lloyd looked at the Goron with him.

"Why is there a canon here?"

"Oh, right. We have set up three canons along the path, in an attempt to bring down the Beast. But...well it only moves it around until it goes inside the volcano where it can't be reached."

"It can't be reached now as well." Lloyd remarked, looking at the lizard thing stuck to the side of Death Mountain.

"I guess so. So, you still think we should chase it back into the volcano?"

Lloyd nodded to this question. "We'll find a way in once we get there." He wasn't really the type to think ahead.

"B-but, what about that big Moblin?" The Goron asked.

Lloyd followed his look, to the big creature standing by the canon. Moblin, huh? It sure was a tall, tough looking creature. With long arms and sharp teeth sticking out of its miss formed jaw. It seemed to be wielding a big club.

"Alright, you stay here. I'll take care of this guy."

"Be careful." Yubono told him softly.

Lloyd nodded to him and went for the element of surprise by running up to the Moblin. The big creature was slow, so it got a slash of Lloyd's glowing sword. Letting out an angry roar, it whirled around and swung its club. Lloyd jumped out of the way while swinging at one of the Moblin's leg. To his surprise, the creature dodged fast, ramming one of its fists down.

Lloyd just barely rolled out of the way, so it hit the ground hard, cracking it slightly in the process. The teen pushed himself up with his free hand, launching himself up a bit. Using this small aerial momentum, the teen made a twirl, raising up his sword and bringing it down to the Moblin's chest. Before it could hit the ground, the creature dissolved, leaving behind its weapon and one of his teeth.

After wishing for like the hundreds time had had a second sword, Lloyd waved down Yubono. "It is safe now."

The Goron stepped closer, looking at the 'remains' of the Moblin. "That was impressive." He said it as if he was intimidated.

Lloyd decided to leave it and looked at the canon. It seemed a bit rusted, clearly not been used for a while.

"So, I just launch a bomb up there?"

"A bomb will not make enough impact. You will need to launch me."

The teen looked at Yubono, wide eyed. "Excuse me?"

"We have tried bombs. It was not that effective. Our rock-hard skin is a different story."

"But you'll be sent flying! What if..."

"Don't worry." Yubono smiled. "I have my shield to protect me. I'll roll right back here."

It sounded crazy, but it also seemed to be the only option. And Yubono was brave enough to offer. The teen had to commend him for that.

"Okay then. Still, please be careful."

The young Goron nodded, rolled up to a ball and getting himself into the canon. It was clearly made to fit a Goron inside. So, it had to be safe, right? The launch was quite loud, maybe a little rough on Yubono, as he flew through the air, hitting Vah Rudiana right on.

It roared, and stared to walk, round the curve of the volcano, getting out of side. A boulder rolled up next to Lloyd and unfurled to be Yubono again.

"It worked!"

"Yeah, good job." Lloyd shared his enthusiasm, smiling back at him. But he also noticed more Guardians were hovering around ahead.

The road was going to be harder. It seemed to be impossible to not get an eruption in some places. So, Lloyd looked around for another way. He spotted some strange looking boulders, that seemed to have a metal shine to them. It was worth a try, Lloyd thought while remembering the magnetic function of the Sheikah Slate.

He took said tool out of the bag, trying it out on one of the boulders. Sure enough it started moving. It was at about the same height of the Guardian, so Lloyd tried to lift it up a bit higher to drop it. It got out of reach unexpected. The boulder dropped, totally missing its mark.

"You wanted to take it out like that, huh? It was a good try." Yubono said.

"You don't know me to well yet, Yubono. I never give up."

Lloyd knew he needed higher ground, so he started to climb. When he was there, he tried again and this time, it was successful. The Guardian went down with a crackling noise, disappearing of the side of the mountain as it fell.

There were still more around, but now Lloyd had a good (and pretty fun) way of getting rid of them. Clearing the way, they got to the next canon, where this time two Moblin were standing guard.

Again, Lloyd was set to take care of them. Two against one will be bit difficult, certainly considering how big they were. The teen had to play this smart. He saw that one of them was standing close to the edge.

Making a bomb appear out of the slate, Lloyd threw it towards that one, making it detonate when close. The blow had the desired effect; it forced the Moblin over the edge and fell of the steep cliff.

The one left, spotted Lloyd right away. To keep Yubono out of this, the teen jumped forward with a front down slash, to drive it back. With a low growl, the Moblin hopped back in order to dodge. For a moment, they traded slashes and blocks, while also dodging each other.

This Moblin was wielding a large, slightly curved sword and certainly seemed more experienced. But Lloyd could now take advantage of his smaller stature. It helped him dodging out of the way of the Moblin's big swings. With a roll, he got close and stabbed it in the knee. While the Moblin grunted angrily, while sinking on its hurt leg. Still, it grabbed this small fry with its large hand.

"Wow!" Before he knew it, Lloyd was lifted up. He had to do something fast, or it would throw him of the mountain.

Luckily the teen was still able to wing his sword, aiming it down the arm that was holding him. The blue glowing weapon sure showed its sharpness; the upper arm was cut clean off. Giving it no quarter, as Kratos would say, Lloyd slashed straight ahead. This proved to be lethal; with a cry, the Moblin vanished.

Yubono gave him an enthusiastic applause, it honestly made him a bit shy. The second launch was done and the read ahead once again stepped up in difficulty. Even shelter from the eruptions were rare now. There weren't enough rocks to b ring all the Guardian either, so Lloyd had to think of something else.

"Okay, I'm gonna try bombs on them. Stay close and keep up that shield just in case I have to go for cover."

"Alright. Please be careful." The young Goron looked worried. He was an alright kid, really. Just a bit too much of a worrywart about almost everything.

Lloyd had to climb up to be able to lob a bomb. It did make contact and the flying Guardian beeped. That was it. It just kept on its station like nothing happened.

A bomb had no real effect then. Lloyd scratched his head, looking at the slate, as if that would hold any answers for him. Then he looked at the Guardian again, studying it more closely.

That eye, that seemed like a glaring weak point. With a sigh, that doubled as a deep breath, Lloyd took out the bow Teba had gifted him. It was made of wood, which was why he rather kept it in the bottomless bag. It wouldn't immediately go up in flames, right?

Still, the teen worked fast, not wanting to take too much risk. Stand, dock, aim, and fire. It was a more familiar routine now and the training showed; the arrow hit right in the eye. This did bring the Guardian down.

Only like a dozen more to go. I hope I got enough arrows for this, Lloyd thought to himself. Oh, but first, back in bag with you.

This was going to take a while. The stars were in the sky by the time Lloyd shot down the last one. It didn't really get dark here however, because of all the bright lava around.

The last canon was in sight, and with it, were three of those big Moblins. Now that's not really fair. Lloyd didn't really think about it though, falling back into his usual ways. He approached the flat surface from above.

The Moblins were standing in an almost perfect triangle, around the back of the canon. This had worked before, so Lloyd had no doubt in his mind that the exsphere would not fail him now. With a jump and swinging his sword up, he yelled out; "Grave Blade!"

When he hit the ground, the blue blade seemed to glow even brighter. Cracks formed as a powerful force formed a half circle and pushed against all three Moblins at once. The creatures had no time to react, probably even too shocked by this show of power. They were blown of the mountain before they knew it.

"Hehe, alright." Content, Lloyd straightened himself and grinned. He looked at his exsphere. The familiar glow was now fainter.

Hmn, maybe I shouldn't use it to much. It seems to be draining. But how did I get the necessary mana to begin with? Lloyd still was wondering.

"That...was absolutely amazing! How did you do that?" Yubono walked up to him, pure wonder and disbelieve in his eyes.

The teen just smiled and shrugged. "It's just something I can do. Like you can do that shield of yours."

Yubono nodded, clearly happy with this comparison. "Well, let's go for the last shot. I'm ready when you are."

"Alright, Yubono. Jump in."

After the shot was fired, Vah Rudiana disappeared over the rim of the volcano, just like the Goron had said.

"The entrance is a bit father ahead." Yubono said when he had rolled back to Lloyd.

Now there were no more flying Guardians, so they did not have to worry about that. There was a big opening at the end of the road going into the mountain that looked natural. They ended up on a large cliff side, looking over boiling lava below, and in the middle of that, was Vah Rudiana.

The heat was hitting Lloyd hard, proving that the armor alone wasn't enough protection. Hopefully it won't be this bad inside the Beast.

"Oh no... That's impossible to reach." Yubono said it with a lot of worry in his voice.

"Right, I have a glider that can carry me there." Lloyd took it out of his bag and folded the glider open. "But I'm afraid it can only carry me."

The Goron looked away, as if he felt guilty. "Let's be honest. I wouldn't have dared to come with you any way."

"Bravery comes with time. And it isn't all you need. As long as you got the heart, you can achieve anything."

Yubono nodded, looking really appreciative. "Be careful."

Lloyd nodded to him and hurried along, before he got overheated. The flight over the lava went well (if he just ignored all the death beneath his feet) and he easily reached that platform the leaded to the entrance of the Beast.

As soon as he landed, a loud voice called out to him. "Good work out there, brother! I believe you can take the malice down here in no time. Open up and let's get on with it!"

The booming male voice, sounded very enthusiastic. Lloyd opened the door with the slate, just so he got out of the heat. Thankfully it was cooler inside when the door closed behind him. He assumed the one talking to him, was the late champion Daruk, like how Revali had 'showed up.' He didn't question Lloyd and it even sounded like he had been watching what had been going down outside.

Daruk then gave him the same instructions as Revali had done, but in a much friendlier tone. Before Lloyd could get the map however, something was blocking his way. Its design looked like a Guardian, but this one was small and had thin legs reminding of a spider. It had a thin arm as well, in which it was holding the same kind of sword Lloyd had received from the doctor.

So, he got them from these things, the teen thought, activating his own weapon to fight it. If I can get it of this thing, I finally have two swords!

The Guardian was fairly agile, but fragile. It just took two hits. The sword fell to the ground as the Guardian sparked and fell apart.

Grinning widely, Lloyd picked the sword up. He tried both swords for a moment, to get used to their light weight. Out of habit, he did his flurry, throwing up both in a flip to stow them away. But he realized he didn't have anything to put them in. These swords did not need it because they were collapsible. Still, it was weird to hold swords in your pockets.

Back to the matter at hand. The trick to this Beast, was darkness and tilting everything. This was going to be interesting.


	20. Chapter 18

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

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Note: Chapters have shifted one, because I forgot to put in chapter 10. Check it out if you like, sorry for the mistake.

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Sheena, Zelos and Colette didn't get much sleep, because of reading all the needed information. Even though a lot was history, they got the main idea, or so they hoped.

The same woman who had shown them to their rooms, came to wake them up. First Sheena and then Colette, as she left it to them to wake Zelos.

Having read the history about this place and the Gerudo race, Sheena could sort of understand why. And Zelos even had the red hair to go with it. Superstition, bad experience and fear could really change a people's standards. They knew all about that.

Breakfast was set at the same table they had dinner, but this time only the three of them and Riju with Buliara were there. The captain seemed to have eaten already, as she didn't partake in eating breakfast. Zelos suspected she was the type that wakes up at the crack of dawn.

"Did you all sleep well?" Riju asked them.

"We did have a nice rest." Sheena nodded, not completely lying. Once she had laid her head down, she was out like a light.

"I would have offered you the special massage, but...I forget." The Gerudo chief looked embarrassed.

"Ah man, I would have loved a massage by one of these lovely ladies." Zelos pouted, taking a bite of delicious pineapple. Buliara shot him a glare, but didn't say anything; she didn't need to.

"Anyway, everything is set up for your departure. When you all are done with breakfast, you can join the scout group."

"Thank you so much for the trouble." Colette bowed her head.

There were still some questions on her mind, but if she were to ask them, that would definitely make them very confused.

"It's the least I could do. I hope you will find your friend. We will keep an eye out for him. Uh, what was his name again?"

"Lloyd Irving. He's a bit of a goofball, but he's got a heart of gold." Zelos smiled.

The two girls next to him nodded in agreement. They finished breakfast, not wanting to overstay their welcome. They said goodbye and their thanks to Riju, who did the same. Buliara appointed a guard to show them to the sand seal ranch. The scouts would be there, to pick out the seals for the route towards the pass.

The two scouts in question, weren't as build as the guards, and dressed in casual desert clothing to not stand out too much. They just had one goal after all; to find out if the Yiga really were all gone. It was strange they had to take along three other people, but they did save Burta and retrieved the helmet. The women wouldn't complain, even with Zelos his looks being somewhat ominous.

Sheena was surprised that the Gerudo had their own collection of sand seals, just at the ready. Thinking about it, it seemed pretty smart. It was a good and effective mode of transport after all.

"Oeh, can I pick one?" Zelos asked enthusiastically.

"Go ahead, just hurry up," one of the scouts answered, keeping a very clear distance from him.

The needed gear was set ready and even some protective clothing for the three of them. They would need it with the blistering sun and the sandstorms.

"How long will it take to get to the pass?" Sheena wanted to know.

"With a bit of luck, a few hours. If we do not get caught in a sandstorm or come across danger like Lizalfos or Molduking."

They had heard the name before, hearing the guards talking about it. It was a very big sand seal, but more like a whale. It mostly stuck to the same areas, though you wouldn't want to bet on that.

The back of the ranch had a special exit to ride the seals out of. Of course, the scouts took the lead and were very clear to the three of them to keep close at all times.

With all of them wearing their protective gear, they stood on the shields and set off quickly. The scouts needed to look out for danger, spotting sandstorms in time and getting out of the way if possible. When this wasn't an option, there were always rocks or ruins to take shelter.

Colette was curious about what these ruins were in the past. But when she had spotted several already, she didn't dare to ask anymore.

"Is it normal to have all these sandstorms, raging around?" Zelos asked the scouts.

"Yes. For as long as the Divine Beast has been around, it has been difficult to get around."

So, they were mostly stuck in their town. That was rather sad. Colette hoped for them the situation would improve soon. It was as if everything was set against them.

As soon as they could move on, and they were set to do so, big lizard like creatures sprung up from beneath the sand. There were four of them, twitching their heads, armed with a blade or a sharp boomerang.

"Damned Lizalfos," one of the scouts mumbled. She'd rather just go around these things and continue on.

However, to both of their surprise, the three with them drew their weapons. The blonde threw a chakram towards one of the Lizalfos' heads. The redhead jumped forward, swinging a short sword to another with a flurry. The black haired one threw a card to one and ran in to punch and kick the remaining creature.

They all finished them off at the same time. The Lizalfos' bodies disappeared, leaving some bits behind. That was the same then, Sheena thought to herself. Zelos flicked his sword, to clean of some of the blood. He smiled at the scouts while putting away his weapon.

This was very unexpected. The two women looked at each other. "Uh, well done. Let us move on."

The sun was getting to its highest point, taking along the temperature with it. Even their protection was failing them now. They took a break under cover to cool down. While they drank some much needed water, one of the scouts pointed to something in the distance.

When they looked there, they saw nothing at first, but then a large shape jumped up from the sand. It made a lazy arch before it disappeared back into the sand, treating it like it was water.

"What in the world is that?" Sheena asked softly, intimidated.

"That is Molduking."

Even from this distance, it was clear this creature was big and dangerous. It seemed to be looking for something, probably food.

"We don't have to go there, do we?" Zelos asked, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"No, we do not. It is not that far now. Shall we go?"

"Yes, I am not a big fan of this view."

It was indeed not too far until the high walls of the surrounding cliffs closed in on each other to form a canyon, were in sight. The formation at the start of this almost made it look like a big, open doorway.

Rocks were protruding the sand now, so it was smarter to go further on foot.

"This is the pass, huh? I can see how people can abuse a narrow path like this." Zelos remarked, letting his eyes trace over the formations and looking into the canyon.

Both scouts nodded at this, not happy about this truth. As they moved in closer to the big archway, they looked everywhere, trying to find any signs. There were no red clothed, masked people around however. Some chairs and a table were left behind, along with some little things like cups and food.

"It looks like they left in a hurry, just like back at their base." Colette remarked.

The scouts did a quick investigation, but they didn't get much from this. They looked at each other, before they turned to the others.

"I think we should make a thorough sweep through this place, at least up to the stable."

"From the bottom to the top."

"Oh, so you'll be busy here, huh?" Zelos informed.

"Yes, and we do not want to keep you. It is a straight forward path from here to the stable. We have to make sure that the Yiga are truly gone."

"Alright. Well, thank you for you lovely company, beauties. See you later." He smiled and waved, already setting off.

"Don't mind him too much." Sheena said with an apologetic smile, noticing their discomfort. "Thank you for your time."

"No problem. Good luck."

"Thanks a lot. Bye, bye!" Smiling widely, Colette waved to the two scouts and she then followed along with Sheena behind the redhead.

The two scouts shared a look. "They were pretty weird."

"Yes, but still very nice. Come on, let's climb up from here and see the better view?"

They did so, with not much trouble. They were trained for this sort of thing after all. After climbing the rock wall, taking advantage of all its cracks and crevasses, they were on top. They were the first ones who had done so in at least a couple of days, or maybe even a week.

They were very surprised by what they saw: a red beam coming from far north-west, going to the center of the land. They knew what this meant, everybody does. Next to the Yiga being gone, this was the best news they could have gotten.

"Should...should we go back and report this?"

"We have to make sure the Yiga are really gone."

Even though this was very welcome news to bring back to the town. They just wanted to be absolutely certain.

The group of three walked on below, looking up at the impressive shapes around them.

"I'm not gonna say I hated the sand surfing, because that was awesome. But I'm glad there's solid ground beneath my feet." Zelos said, strolling along, folding his arms behind his head.

"Yeah, me too," both girls chimed at the same time.

"And this is a nice change of surroundings. I was getting tired of all the sand." Colette admitted.

"I know right? It gets everywhere."

Sheena rolled her eyes. The red head didn't have to say it out loud to get what he meant.

They followed around the bend, while the canyon opened up a bit more. Ahead, two pig like creatures with dark skin were standing on a flat rock, making noise. In front of this rock was another of these creatures, sat on a horse. This one spotted the three people first. It squealed and pointed in their direction.

The two creatures rose their clubs and went in for the charge. The one on the horse coming in last.

"Well, these are giddy for a fight." Zelos remarked, pulling his short sword.

The girls drew their weapons as well. Colette targeted the one on the horse, throwing her chakrams, hoping to get it off the animal. When both missed, the creature seemed to laugh, but it didn't expect the weapons to return, hitting it in the back. This knocked the creature of the horse.

Zelos was quick to take care of one on foot, as Sheena was right behind him, going for the other, combining her cards and fists once again. Zelos side stepped to the one that fell from the horse, stabbing it while it was still down.

"That must have been a record time." He laughed, cleaning his sword afterward.

Sheena shrugged, having no clue and she really didn't care. "It seems that this place can be hostile. We should be a bit more careful."

A worried look was on Colette's face. "They are all hostile, huh?"

"Seems like it. Hmn, let me scout ahead a little."

Sheena was stealthy and fast, so they didn't argue against her idea.

"I'll be back in a few."

They waited for a couple of minutes, Zelos leaning against the rock wall while Colette remained standing. Sure enough, the ninja came back.

"No other signs of hostiles. Ahead the canyon opens up."

"Alright, lets shoot for that. See what is waiting for us. You didn't spot any people?"

Sheena shook her head. "I didn't go too far, Zelos. We should stay together."

Nodding in agreement, they walked along. It was rather strange only those three creatures were around. It wasn't like back home with a lot of possible encounters with monsters. Not that they'd complain. Except for Zelos maybe, who grew bored of the same view. He had picked that habit up from his buddy.

"Man... I hope Lloyd is alright."

"I hope so too. Hopefully the next place has seen or heard of him." Colette folded her hands together, hopeful.

"Of course, I hope for both. But we can't get anywhere worrying about it. We just have to hurry along."

"Yeah, yeah. You are right as always, Jubblies."

They picked up the pace. As Sheena had said, the canyon opened up and the right side of the mountain turned away completely. Up ahead, the first people since the scouts, were visible. A building stood in front of the rock wall on the left-hand mountain, that continued further. The shape of this building looked like a horse's head.

A man was busy with horses, while a young girl was sweeping and talking to some of the people walking or sitting around the building. Everyone looked up in surprise towards the group of three. The girl with the broom walked towards them.

"You just came from the pass?" She asked in disbelieve.

"We came from the town beyond actually." Sheena answered.

"Wow. It has been a while that we've seen people come from all the way back there. You must be tired and hungry. Come on, have a seat and some of the soup I prepared."

The girl ushered them along to where other people were sitting around a cooking pot. A lot of questions were directed their way, about the situation in the desert, how they got here, if they were attacked by Yiga.

All three tried their very best to answer as much as possible. They were happy to rest and get some food in them. It was getting late in the afternoon and they hadn't had lunch yet.

"Didn't you all spot any Yiga leaving?" Zelos took his turn to ask a question. There was only one way, right?" But heads shook at his question.

"They are very stealthy," said a man.

Guess they were lucky that the Yiga just passed by, Zelos thought to himself.

"I have a question for you all as well." Colette said after taking a bowl of soup and sitting down. "Have any of you seen a young man, seventeen years old, brown wild hair and red-brown eyes, going by the name of Lloyd?"

Some looks were shared, and to her disappointment, all four people there shook their heads. Sad, she looked down at her soup.

"Sorry. Not many people come this way because it is close to a dead end." The stable girl said.

"Maybe we should make a drawing of him. Like a wanted poster." Zelos laughed.

"Not a bad suggestion. We should try and draw him." Sheena nodded.

"We have the needed things for that inside the stable. You all can use them if you want."

"Thank you very much!" Colette was pepped up again.

They took some time to eat and rest, just listening to the conversations going along the people. They mostly talked about the red beam going along the northern sky. Talking about Divine Beasts and the hero, surely going around, taking them down after a long hundred year wait. This was not really in the history books, so the three listened with interest.

It was getting dark quick, so they moved inside. This was safer, so the owner of the stable said. Only then the group discovered that this place offered a place to sleep.

"Hey, how much for a night?" Zelos asked the owner, pointing to a bed.

"Forty rupees per person for a standard bed." This currency was mentioned in a book, so they did know about it. And luckily, they had picked up the odd shaped things along the way. "Let's say a hundred for the three of you," he added.

They each gathered up what they had picked up and put this together. It was enough and they just quietly agreed they would need to spend the night here. But before that, they still had something to do.

While the stable girl went off to tend to the horses, other people set down for a nice drink or a good book. Colette, Sheena and Zelos set around the bigger, round table as the owner brought them paper and colored crayons at their request.

"Let's each draw our own picture of Lloyd."

"You seem very excited about this, little angel."

"Hehe, I just like drawing."

"Alright, let's get stared."

They all made a drawing. Sheena was clearly struggling, Zelos was widely grinning and Colette had an expression that mostly seemed to be bliss.

"Okay, let's see what you got my dear beauties."

"Zelos!" Sheena tried to seem angry, but she blushed at the same time. "Don't judge me too hard. I am not great at drawing."

That was an understatement. Sheena just drew a stick figure, colored this red and some brown streaks that were meant to be Lloyd's hair.

Zelos laughed loudly at this, while Colette gave her a compassionate smile. Now the Mizuho girl's face was red with anger.

"Then show me what you have, idiot Chosen!"

Still grinning, Zelos turned his paper. Colette blinked in surprise. "You copied the wanted poster the Desians made."

It was amazingly accurate. How in the world did he do that?

"Haha, I know. I am the best." Zelos folded his hands behind his head and leaned back. "But don't be intimidated, little angel. Show us yours."

"Um, alright."

A little shy, Colette did just that. Both of their jaws dropped. It was almost a one on one portrait of Lloyd. A perfect face shot, complete with his iconic smile. It was as if she had him right there to draw from.

"Colette... This is incredible." Sheena said softly, truly impressed.

"Really? Hehe, thank you."

"My little angel sure is talented. How did you manage that?"

The girl titled her head. "That's how I see him. I've known him ever since we were little."

"True enough. But just admit you got a crush on the guy already." Zelos chuckled.

It was now Colette who turned red, not really knowing how to respond.

"Anyway, lets hit the hay early, to make up for the previous night. We can make our plan up when we wake up tomorrow."

"Yeah, I agree with Zelos," Sheena nodded.

They did just that, leaving the drawings on the table, in hopes someone would pass by and say they have seen this guy.

The sunlight pouring in to the building, was what woke them all up. Refreshed, they got up and got greeted by breakfast, that was set up on a table. The owner invited to take whatever they wanted and promised them some nice tea.

Such hospitable and nice people, Colette thought joyfully. While they were all standing at the breakfast table, some one new came walking in the stable. It made all three of them look, but they tried not to stare.

The big, bird like creature would have been a monster to them, if they hadn't read about the Rito in the books. It was tall and wearing clothing with armor. The creature nodded to the owner in greeting.

"A Rito! It's been a while since I've seen one of you around. You just recently got freed, right? That got to feel good."

"Yes, it does." The Rito sounded male, a small smile on his beak. His eyes were drawn by the sketches on the table, walking up to it and picking up the one that Colette had done.

"Who made these?" There was a mix of worry and pressure in his voice.

"Um, I did, sir."

Colette raised her hand, holding a plate with food in the other.

"What do you want with him?" The Rito seemed to glare at her.

Zelos stepped next to her, glaring right back. "Who are you to ask, feathers?"

"Please, hold on. He might know about Lloyd." Colette said while she laid a hand on Zelos' arm.

The Rito frowned, looking at the drawing again for a moment. This was so striking and clearly done with much care.

"Are you friends of Lloyd?"

"Yeah. Lloyd is like our best bud!"

"I see. My name is Teba. I've seen him a few days ago. Shall we talk somewhere more private?"

Zelos looked at the two ladies with him, who nodded in agreement. Taking along their breakfast, they walked outside to a quieter spot. While they all sat down, three pairs of eyes looked at the Rito curiously.

"Did you all come from this other world then?" he asked. It seemed logic, but Teba just wanted the confirmation.

"That idiot told you about that?" Sheena shook her head, disappointed.

"He more gave of that vibe to me. I do not think it matters much. He helped us out, that is what counts."

"Elaborate please," was Zelos his request, still not completely trusting this bird.

"The hero, that was needed to release us from Ganon 's strangle hold on the land, has disappeared. That is what I understand happened anyway. Have you read anything about the legends, things like that?"

"Yes, we read about the history of this place. There was not much about these Divine Beasts however." Sheena remarked. She seemed a little on edge, but not as much as the red head next to her.

"I suppose that is because that is all still being researched. Or was. Anyway, Lloyd was for some reason chosen to replace the hero, Link. His task is to free all the Divine Beasts from the malice, and set us free as well. I helped him with ours up north. The final goal is to defeat Ganon, to rid this land of this darkness. He has taken it upon himself to fulfill this tall order. I really respect him for this."

This surely sounded like something that Lloyd would do. Saving people in need and all that. They all knew this.

"So, he is alright?" Colette folded her hands together, smiling and sighing in relief.

"The last time I saw him, he was a bit roughed up," Teba didn't want to lie. "but he is in good company. A Sheikah is with him, to show him the way and help him out where ever possible."

"That's a sort of ninja clan, from what I have read. There was not much information about them, however." Sheena said curious.

"They are a fairly secretive tribe. But very skilled. I am sure she will keep him safe and out of trouble."

"She, huh? Can't wait to meet this lady."

Sheena rolled her eyes at the idiot Chosen remark. "Can you tell us where Lloyd is now?"

"I am afraid he is out of the way for you now. He is at the volcano all the way up north-east."

"Oh no." Colette's smile faded, looking upset instead. "What do we do now?"

"If I may, I have some suggestion. The next place he will go is to the east, called Zora's Domain. You could go that way and hope to meet up with him there."

"Alright, pops. That's a good one, we'll do that." Zelos nodded.

Pops? Did he really look that much like a dad?

"Thank you so much, mister. I am so happy to hear Lloyd is safe."

Colette was smiling, practically beaming at him. He couldn't help but smile himself. Still, one question was still on his mind.

"What will you do when you meet up with him? Will you take him back home?"

"'Course not. We are going to join him! Uh, right?" She said it before she knew it. Colette looked at her friends, they nodded at her.

"Any cause bud is behind, I will support!"

"Are you sure you don't just want to meet this girl, Zelos?"

"Don't be mean, Sheena. You know my buddy is more important to me than any lady."

"You are very good friends." Was Teba his observation from this. They all looked at him. "You went to a whole other, unknown world to find him and now you are ready to join him."

"That's how we roll, pops. We are all in this together."

This remark, made Colette feel guilty that the professor or Genis weren't here. Or Presea and Regal. But was it right to drag them all into this? Zelos wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Don't worry yourself to much. We are doing all we can and the rest is out of our hands."

"I suppose you are right." She smiled at him, thankful for his words.


	21. Chapter 19

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

It was completely dark, save for one torch close by. Its flame had a unique, blue color, barely managing to illuminate the surroundings. It was a kind of darkness, that no matter how long you waited or tried, your eyes would never adjust, never be able to see through it.

This reminded Lloyd of the temple of Darkness, giving him involuntary chills. He tried to shake it off, picking up the stick next to the torch and lighting it. As he moved in, more torches were waiting to be lit, but also yellow glowing eyes, were staring at him from the dark surrounded by red glowing malice.

This place sure had the creepy vibe going for it. But Lloyd wasn't easily scared, nor did he back out. He lit the torches, lobbing bombs to the eyes that were staring at him in the meantime.

Activating the terminal with the map, he found out the gimmick of this Beast; tilting. It was a full quarter tilt, as he felt the Beast move. It probably was perched against the inside wall of the volcano to do this. It almost seemed like Vah Medoh in that matter.

It was interesting and annoying at the same time. Because of Lloyd's short attention span, he got tired of it rather fast. It was bad enough he had to do this alone while he wasn't the brightest of the bunch.

Having to go outside, was also a real chore. Not only did the heat press down on him like it was trying to make him suffocate, the sight of lava underneath him in which he could fall at any moment, was absolutely terrifying. To make matters even worse, this seemed to be the location of the main terminal. So, the boss would be here.

There was nothing else to it. Lloyd had to go along with it now, trying to adjust as much as possible. Activating the main terminal, he quickly stepped back while the dark fluid mixed in with red gathered and rose up. Blue lines shot passed him and formed a ball on the opposite side.

This creature was much like the last boss. Only this one had a weapon that looked like an ancient sword, but much bigger. With its free hand, it created a fireball, letting it fly with a loud, ear piercing screech.

Lloyd could hear the voice of Daruk once again: "Watch yourself now! That ugly pain in the crag is Ganon's handiwork. Thing got the best of me a hundred years ago. Good luck, little guy. Go get 'm!"

The boss crept closer, hovering above the surface. It seemed to be slow in its movements. But there was no doubt in Lloyd's mind that big sword would deliver big hits, he had to keep an eye out for that.

Keeping close to this boss, seemed to be the best tactic. It didn't hover high enough to be out of Lloyd's reach as he went in with his glowing, blue swords. He jumped forward with a slash. Hitting it a few more times with both his swords, the boss hovered out of reach.

Turning into a blue orb, it floated away fast, crossing the vast surface of Vah Rudinia's back. At some distance, it took its original form again.

Lloyd huffed, readied his swords and charged toward the boss. The big sword swing came with a great side sweep. The teen avoided just in time by doing a back flip, but not completely unscathed; a lock of his hair drifted down before his eyes.

Clenching his teeth, Lloyd quickly closed in to get as many hits in as possible, before the boss could do another move. It hovered out of his reach, however, going higher. It rose its free hand and a fireball formed. From this, little fire missiles were fired as a salvo, directly at Lloyd.

Side jumping away, the teen deflected others. He rolled under the boss and then jumped up, swinging both swords upward.

Letting out a screech, the boss became an orb again, floating back towards the main terminal, appearing above it. With a gesture over its blade, it made it heat up until it had an aggressive red glow. At the same time, a shield formed around the boss that seemed to be completely made out of fire.

How am I supposed to get through _that_? Lloyd thought to himself. The boss moved again, seemingly charging itself up, drawing in all the heat around itself. A large fireball formed and it set its course directly towards Lloyd.

He tried to dodge, but the fireball just followed his movement, as if it was honed in on him. This was clearly meant to drive him back. But Lloyd had no other choice; he did not want to be set on fire.

The fireball finally caved to gravity, hitting the surface, exploding unexpected. Its radius blew the teen back. The boss had changed its locations in the meantime, going for another charge.

Damnit, this is going nowhere, Lloyd thought while he kept his distance. He observed for now, hoping to find any weaknesses. He noticed the boss inhaling greatly; there had to be something he could do with that.

Running away from the second fireball, he still kept an eye on the boss, to see where it was going. After the fireball blew up (which he completely avoided this time), Lloyd pulled out his Slate, letting a bomb appear. He threw it towards the boss, who was repeating the pattern. As he'd hoped, it inhaled the bomb as well, going past the shield and exploding in the boss' face.

The boss fell out of the sky, its shield disappearing. Running in quick, Lloyd made use of this moment. He put in all of his strength, not wanting to repeat this pattern. With a jump, he drove his swords downward, straight into that one, glowing blue eye.

Another piercing scream sounded and the boss flailed, not being able to hit its attacker. It dissolved right after, becoming a mix of purple light and dark shadows, disappearing soon after.

Silence. Only Lloyd's slightly quickened breathing broke it. He took a moment to calm down, a disgruntled look at his unwanted (be it only slight) haircut. Approaching the terminal again, he finally unlocked it, giving it a blue glow.

"Good work, little guy!" The voice of Daruk was very loud and clear, as if he was right behind the teen.

In a reflex, Lloyd turned around and, to his surprise, a big Goron stood there, slightly see through and surrounded by small flames.

"I owe you big for this. Because of you, my spirit is finally free. Can't thank you enough!"

"Uh, you're welcome." At least this Champion seemed nice and welcoming, very different from the rude Revali.

"I've been watching you coming up the mountain with my grandson. You may not be Link, but you have his courage all the same, along with a good heart. So, thank you again, for going through all this trouble."

Daruk smiled widely at him. The teen couldn't help answering it with his own, nodding to him. The smile quickly faded, however.

"I hope the little guy is alright. Link doesn't deserve to be treated badly. I am willing to say he worked the hardest out of all of us."

"We will find and save him. You will see." Lloyd said this with such confidence. He trusted the people who were on the search; the Sheikah, the Rito. He will ask the Goron to do the same. Surely, Link will be found in no time.

Nodding, Daruk showed another smile. "I trust you will. I'm gonna take this Beast down the mountain, from there I'll have a better shot at Ganon. When you've made your way into Hyrule Castle, we're gonna light that thing up! Oh, and I also wanna give you something. It's a special power of mine called 'Daruk's protection.' I can't use it anymore, so I might as well give it to you."

Daruk slammed his hands together. When he parted them, an orb formed in between, bright red and glowing. It flew right into Lloyd's chest. A warm feeling within him rose and then, for a moment, the same kind of shield that Yubono had, formed around him.

"From this moment forth, the power of protection, from the depths of my soul, now lives inside you."

Light started to envelop Lloyd, fading his surroundings. He looked to the former Champion, mouth opening but no words would come. Honestly, he didn't know what to say.

"Good luck, little guy. I believe in you, and in Yubono too!" Daruk laughed and waved.

A bright flash of light blinded Lloyd and the next moment, he was standing outside the volcano. Yubono stood practically next to him; he jumped back from the teen's sudden appearance.

Vah Rudana's movement, made them both look up. The Beast set itself up on the side of the mountain, moving its head to look at the castle in the far distance. It's chameleon like face then opened up like a blooming flower, revealing a thin rod. This shot of a red beam, straight towards its target. On the shoulder of the Beast, Daruk's shape could still be seen as he pumped his fist into the air.

Yubono watched in awe, then he waved happily to his grandfather. This happiness, the smiles and the gratitude. This what Lloyd was doing it all for. He didn't care for material rewards. That what comes from the heart means so much more to him.

A strong hug, caught Lloyd off guard. Yubono was bigger in more than one way, so a hug from him could have a crushing result.

"Oh, sorry!" The young Goron released him quickly. "I'm just so thankful. You really did it, goro. The Beast has been tamed!"

"Only thanks to your help, Yubono. You were brave and came with me all the way. You are a hero too."

"Really? Well, gee..." Shy, he rubbed the back of his neck. "Are you coming back with me to the village, to celebrate?"

"I'd love to, but I can't. Time moves on and there is still more to be done. You just tell everyone what happened here and don't leave out any of your heroics! Oh, and please keep an eye out for Link, okay?"

"Huh...? Oh, okay." Blinking confused, Yubono nodded to these words.

Lloyd took out the Slate, stepping back while propping up the warp point at the latest stable. He waved to the young Goron.

"It was great meeting you, Yubono. See you around!" Widely smiling, Lloyd then pressed the travel option.

Taken aback by the light the seemed to swallow the teen, he could only raise his hand in a goodbye before Lloyd completely disappeared.

* * *

Patience was running thin for Shade. He knew it could take a while before the one with the Slate would finally turn up. What was frustrating, was that this guy was within reach, yet so far away at the same time.

Shade now had a clear image of the young man in question. The Sheikah woman probably didn't notice, but he was in her head. It was just for a moment, but it was enough to see this guy more clearly.

Such a stupid smile was on his face, as if he had not a care in the world. Someone like _that_ was outrunning him. This frustrated Shade to no end. It was safe to say he wasn't in a great mood.

A red beam shot overhead, shaking the ground a little while it passed. So, the next Beast has been tamed. It won't be much longer now, before this guy would come back down the mountain. Then, Shade will have him, he would be at his mercy and he had none to spare.

Suddenly, in the corner of his eye, he spotted a blue light, flashing close to the stable. Damn it, he teleported! Shade cursed as he jumped to his feet and started running, back towards the stable. He hadn't considered this, because the tower wasn't activated and it looked like this guy hadn't been making use of shrines. Damn this guy!

* * *

Fatigue washed over him like a wave, as Lloyd walked down the hill where the shrine stood. It had been almost two full days of being up on his feet and doing all kinds of stuff, so it wasn't that surprising.

When he entered the stable, he saw Vera with the owner and his daughter, who both looked pale and scared.

"Uh, what's going on?"

"Lloyd, you're back!"

In quick steps, Vera came to stand next to him, looking him over, to see if he still was in one piece. The teen had ditched the hefty armor, expecting (and hoping) he didn't need it anymore. He looked tired, but other than that, he seemed fine.

"Something happened. Someone, no something is after you. We have to go now."

"What?" Dully, he looked from her to the little family. "What about them?"

Vera took his arm and started dragging him along, not giving any explanation or an answer.

"We will hide, don't worry about us. Just go, quickly." The owner sounded scared, but also had a pressing tone in his voice.

Reluctantly, Lloyd went along with the Sheikah. The horses were already standing ready for them.

"Can you ride?" She asked him.

"Not too far," he answered honestly, struggling to keep his eyes open. His muscles were aching; all his body wanted now, was some well-deserved rest.

"I'll find a good place for us to hide. Come on."

The horses were set in motion, going off in a gallop. They passed the mountains quickly, which made way for dense forest. Vera stopped her horse and got off, Lloyd just following suit. She took of the saddlebags and whispered in both the horses their ears, slapping their rears right after. They set off, going in a different direction. This was to hopefully put their pursuer on a false trail.

Leading the way, the Sheikah walked into the forest, pushing branches aside. "Gather leaves and branches."

Vera did this while going in deeper, the teen behind her again just going along with it. It was clear the lights were shutting off, so they had to work quick. Luckily, the Sheikah had her fair share of training and practice. She was able to put everything together fast, making a camouflaged shelter out of the gathered materials. It was set up so well, it blending right into the surroundings.

"Get your rest, Lloyd. I'll keep watch." She took a sleeping bag from the saddle bag and handed this to him.

The teen just nodded, too tired to do much more. He took the bag, ducking into the improvised tent and very soon could be heard snoring.

* * *

There was no chance he could catch up to horses. Shade knew as much. He let the chase drop soon. But that didn't mean he was giving up. He knew exactly were the two of them were going, eventually. He just needed to set up for that at the right place at the right time, where they'd least expect it.

Shade decided it was about time to gather some forces. A small collection of incognito Yiga, would surely be enough. All for a perfect ambush. He won't let them get away again.

* * *

After a few hours of relative silence, Vera was quite sure the strange shadow gave up his pursuit. Taking one last look around, she went inside the small shelter, to check up on Lloyd. He was asleep, but he seemed to be tossing around. Was he haunted once again, by a nightmare?

Kneeling down next to him, Vera laid a hand on his free, upper arm. She wanted to calm him, assure him that everything was alright. Unexpected, he took hold of her wrist, almost growling like an animal.

"I _will_ kill you, Kvar." Lloyd's dark tone of voice and his iron grip, shocked the Sheikah.

"Lloyd...Wake up!" She almost yelled, but held it in just in case.

Waking with a start, Lloyd's eyes shot open, staring straight at Vera. For a moment, it seemed red was reflecting into red. No, that wasn't correct. His eyes were brown, right?

"Vera." Realizing what he was doing, he let go of her wrist, staring at the impression he'd left behind.

Did I do that? Goddess, what is _wrong_ with me?!

"You need to get things of your chest, Lloyd." Vera tried keeping her voice leveled, rubbing her sore wrist. "Things are clearly haunting you. I think you will keep having these nightmares, if you don't openly start talking about things."

There was a silence, as Lloyd shakily breathed and nodded. He let it sink in, he mulled it over. Was it really that much more heavy on him then he'd like to admit? He wasn't even sure himself.

"You already said you wanted to tell me about your journey. I suggest you start at the beginning; see how far you get until you fall asleep again. I will listen, if you allow me, that is."

"Huh? O-of course. I'm fine with you hearing it. I haven't even gotten around telling my dad everything." Maybe that was the problem. Lloyd shook his head and sighed. "It will be a long story."

"I do not mind. Take the time you need."

It was nice, Vera offering to hear him out. Forgiving him so quickly, she even seemed to understand what was going on, even more then he did himself. He trusted her insight. And so, he started his tale of that fateful day at school. One that seemed to start of like every other, but turned into a great journey to save the world(s).

Vera listened, mostly nodding, trying to understand what was history to Lloyd. The Chosen, the salvation of the world, freeing it of evil beings. It did seem to have similarities with their own situation and legends.

After talking about the appearance of the angel Remiel, his eyes were getting heavy again. Vera knew better to ask questions; she was sure everything would become clear eventually.

"Rest up, Lloyd. I will wake you in the morning."

"Hmhm." The teen nodded off, going back into a deep sleep.

Morning set in too soon, as Vera had to shake Lloyd awake. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, rays of sunlight pouring in through the leaves of their improvised shelter. Vera had taken food from the saddle bags, setting it up inside.

"Have some breakfast. I will scout the area, to be sure we are alone. And I'll call back the horses."

Lloyd nodded, already picking up bread and a jar of jelly. He was not yet settled down, the Sheikah could tell from his shifting eyes and body langue.

"Don't feel guilty, Lloyd. You didn't hurt me."

"It's not that. I mean, not really." Lloyd looked at the ground. He hadn't realized how much of an impact the whole journey has had on him. The mental breakdowns, feelings like loss, heartbreak and betrayal. It was a lot, for sure.

"It's okay. Talk when you want to, I'm here to listen."

"Thanks, Vera. Really." He said it from the bottom of his heart.

The Sheikah showed a slight smile and left the tent. Lloyd shook his head to lose the somewhat dark thoughts in his mind. They wouldn't help the situation as it stands now. He should concentrate on the here and now.

It did feel nice to finally talk about it. He never really did with his dad. It just happened, that was that. This was how he thought anyway, never realizing how much it really affected him. But his subconscious showed his through his dreams.

Finishing up his breakfast, Lloyd stepped out of the improvised tent. Vera came walking back, horses right behind her.

"Are you sure you aren't some kind of horse whisperer?" The teen asked with a slight grin.

Vera shrugged. "Maybe I am. I work with horses a lot, so I understand them as they do me."

"Aha, sure. Should I break this thing down?" Lloyd gestured to the shelter.

"Very well. You can do that, while I have my breakfast."

While the teen took the shelter apart, it came to mind: "Hey, who was after us anyway?"

"Right, I haven't told you that yet. When I came back from another fruitless search, the people in the stable were being threatened by a sharp knife. Luckily, I was able to stop it before anyone got hurt. But this thing..."

Vera shook her head, trying to find the best description, eating her breakfast thoughtfully.

"It looked like a person, but in all black. Red glowing eyes and hair white as snow. He was a very skilled fighter. I hate to admit that he had me pinned. I was able to turn it around, I thought I had him. He just...sank away, into the ground."

It was something she hadn't seen before. Was it some kind of dark magic? She honestly had no clue.

"Like a shadow." Lloyd remarked.

The Sheikah looked at him, tilting her head and frowning.

"You know, black shape, human form, moving into the ground. Sounds like a shadow to me."

"Hm. I didn't consider that. But I was still able to touch him."

Lloyd shrugged, dispersing the last of the shelter. "We've had a summon spirit who was darkness. It also was a sort of shadow, but it was able to touch others. So, that is my guess. You didn't get hurt, did you?"

He went over and set down next to her. Vera looked him over, his remark about a spirit confusing her. Surely, he'll get to that later, so she put it aside. She shook his head to his question.

"Were you?"

"Nope. Also, I got an awesome new thing."

Concentrating on the protective shield, it showed up around Lloyd, which made the Sheikah's eyes widen. She reached out to touch the shield, which reflected back her hand.

"That is amazing, and so very useful."

The shield did show its weakness though; it could only be held up for a few seconds.

"I think it's mostly meant for a reflex defense. Could be useful for me, because I don't use shields. Oh, and I found a second sword as well."

Lloyd showed the two ancient swords. Their glow together had something beautiful and enchanting.

"What was carrying that?" Vera asked curious.

"Like a Guardian, but smaller. Maybe it's in the Slate." Lloyd took out the small piece of tech and was able to find a description with a picture of it. "Hehe, I'm not doing bad with this thing. Tech really is growing on me."

"We aren't used to this kind of technology. It was lost with our ancestors." Vera remarked while looking at the picture.

"Yeah, it was unknown in our world as well. Only the Desians made use of it. In Tethe'alla, it was totally different. Tech was everywhere. Oh, I will get to that."

The more Lloyd said, the more questions it rose for the Sheikah. She kept to her policy however: they will get answered eventually. So, she just nodded.

"Let me show you where we are going."

Vera spread out her map on the ground. She put a finger that seemed to be northwest. "This is where we are. And here," her finger traced down to where there seemed to be a lot of water and rocks, "is where we need to go. Zora's Domain. It is populated with Zora, the fish like creatures I have told you about."

She said this to prepare Lloyd, he was aware of this. And he appreciated it. Lloyd couldn't really picture it, but eventually he will see a Zora for himself. It made him excited just thinking about it.

"Are you ready to go?" The Sheikah asked while she put everything back into the saddle bags.

"Ready as ever, so let's go. How long you think it's gonna take?"

"If the horses can keep a good pace, we may be lucky to make it to the stable before it gets dark again."

"Alright, let's try to aim for that. I'm sure the both of you can do it."

Lloyd padded both horses in the neck, seemingly trying to encourage them. This made the Sheikah chuckle.

"I don't think you can talk with animals that well."

"Hey, I have a pet you know. His name is Noishe and he is the greatest dog in the world. I was used to riding on his back."

Both got on their horses and spurred them to go. Frowning, Vera looked at the teen.

"You rode a dog on his back?"

"Noishe is a very big dog. Like a small horse, I guess."

"That doesn't sound like a dog to me."

"Why does everybody keep saying that?" Lloyd mumbled more to himself.

"Hm. Well, if you want, you can continue your story." Vera suggested while the horses picked up a good pace.

"Yeah, sure. Let's see."

Lloyd remembered where he stopped and his smile disappeared. Marble... He still felt guilty for what happened to her. Even though the old lady had been there for a while with an unprotected Exsphere, something he couldn't have helped, he still felt like he should have done more.

It was the fault of those heartless Desians, that she suffered. That all the people in the ranches had to suffer. Oh, and he made sure they felt the pain of their victims. If not him, then one of his friends.

He did want to explain the whole Exsphere thing to Vera, but they learned about them and the truth later, so this too, had to wait.

"These Desian guys, set fire to your village and you and your friend Genis were held responsible for it? It got you two banished?" The Sheikah tried to make sense of it all.

"We interfered, broke the peace treaty."

"That doesn't make it right to set fire to an entire village!"

Lloyd blinked at her sharp remark. "I guess so. That was just how they were. Desians looked for any excuse to torture, destroy and even kill. They had no respect for human lives."

That much was clear. Vera bit her lip, frustrated about this fact. She understood why Lloyd wanted to get back at them. Not only did they kill his mother, they seemed to bring misery everywhere they went.

"We got rid of most of them now. But that is getting ahead of myself."

"I see. Please, continue."

So, Lloyd did just that. He talked about how he and Genis, accompanied by Noishe, went to the desert. Now that Lloyd had experienced the heat of a volcano, being in a desert almost seemed like a walk in the park.

They were having lunch on the back of their horses, who seemed fine with just moving on.

"Did I mention I had help while I went up that mountain?"

"No. Who helped you and how?" Vera wanted to know.

The teen switched to talking about Yubono, how he saved him and helped him up there. It was a surprise to hear that this young Goron was the grandson of Daruk. She had heard many stories about this great Champion, which she remarked out loud.

"Really? He seemed like an alright guy. A bit loud, but caring in his own way."

Vera looked at the teen confused.

"Oh, it seems the spirits of the Champions show up when the Divine Beast is freed from the malice. He talked to me for a bit."

"So, their spirits have been trapped there for a hundred years?"

"I suppose."

This thought brought a somber silence. Only the rhythmic sound of the horses' hooves hitting the ground, broke it. The dark slowly set in. As they had hoped, the familiar shape of the big horse head showed up in the distance. The path kept going past it, leading to oddly shaped rocks.

"Almost there. You can get your deserved rest there." Vera told her horse, stroking the neck.

A nice, cooked meal and a warm bed, just the thought of it made Lloyd feel warm and cozy. And tired once again, but he will surely be sleeping soundly soon in those soft beds. Food was indeed waiting for them and a girl took in their horses. She told the two the road to the Domain wasn't meant for horses, so they had to leave the animals there for now.

Vera paid for the facilities again. They heard from a traveler, who wanted to visit the Domain, that it was dangerous ahead. Apparently, a lot of Lizalfos were there, wielding electricity. This was a nasty move because it was always raining in the Domain and the Zora weren't a big fan of electricity for obvious reasons.

"This constant rain, you think that is the work of the Divine Beast?" Lloyd wondered out loud.

It wouldn't surprise him if this was the case. Those things seemed to have some strange natural influence on their environment.

"We will find out when we get there. The road won't be easy, however."

"Let's see to that tomorrow." Lloyd stretched out with a yawn.

The Sheikah nodded and let him turn in for the night. She would follow soon after; they both could use some sleep.


	22. Chapter 20

**Tales of the wild**

a X-over between

Breath of the wild/Tales of Symphonia

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or Breath of the wild._

 _Before you start: please note that English isnt my first language. It is possible that there are mistakes in this story. That said, have fun reading :)_

* * *

Was it determination, or worry? Sidon pondered the thought while he looked at the quiet, mysterious man, still sitting up against the rock wall. Ever since he had shown up, no one had seen him sleep, or eat or drink much. His eyes were distant, as he kept them fixed down the road ever silently, still noticing every movement.

Sidon tried talking to him, he really did. But the man didn't say a word, closing himself off completely. And the guards were used to him being a talker; their prince was a very social guy. This was a very good trait of course.

The guards found the man more so strange then mysterious. They kept an eye on him, not to sure what to make of him. Food had been offered to him several times, but the man just shook his head, just kept staring on ahead.

When he finally rose up to his full length (which was impressive for a human), it drew their attention right away. The man walked away from them, down the road he's been staring at. His hand went to the hilt of his sword, ever endless stare, stopping just before the bend of the road, going behind a rock formation.

Did he have really sharp hearing? Sidon wondered, since he didn't hear anything until a few seconds later. A raised, young man's voice, laughing as he was talking. He came into sight soon after.

"I am not kidding. That drawing was absolutely amateurish! I have no clue how they still knew it was me. It looked nothing alike."

It was a brown-haired young man, his clothing looked like a Sheikah get up, but not complete. He was joined by one, white hair and red eyes being very telling.

Within a blink of the eye, the quiet man was gone from his place and was right in front of this young man. His sword was drawn, aiming it directly at his face, the point just inches away from the tip of the teen's nose.

The Sheikah moved, wanting to react to this threat, but Lloyd rose his arm in front of her to stop this. His deep brown eyes showed a mix of emotions that made her back off, only just a little. There was confusion, surprise, anger. Was there maybe even some relief and happiness in there?

"Your reflexes are lacking." Kratos stated calmly, lowering his sword and then sheathing it.

"Kratos. What, how, why are you...?" Lloyd had so many questions, he couldn't say words properly.

"Kratos? This is your father?" Vera asked in utter surprise, still not completely relaxing.

Sidon was closing in, more curious than anything else, but not wanting to intrude. He didn't feel any real threat after all. This was the son he was talking about? What kind of father, who was looking for his boy, waiting for him so patiently, would point a sword at him as a first greeting?

The Sheikah was thinking the exact same thing, her mouth a thin line, not quite sure how to judge this all. Lloyd finally nodded to her question. He tried to read Kratos, but as always, was unsuccessful.

"A portal opened up. We noticed it due to a power emanating from it. I went to investigate." Was the first answer Kratos gave.

He knew full well there wasn't really a Mithos telling him to go. It was all in his own mind. He was so used to it; it was like a bad habit. Did he really need a second reason to justify leaving Derris-Kharlan? Wasn't making sure his own son was alright enough?

"Who is we?"

"You know the answer to that, Lloyd. The Chosen is very worried about your well-being."

Colette. Yeah, knowing her, she must have been worried sick. Again, he had wished he had a way to let her know he was alright. Wait, there was one now.

"A portal you said? That's how you got here? Where did it put you?"

Sidon was now practically standing next to the Sheikah, they shared a confused look. Only then, Vera recognized him and bowed quickly, seemingly put off guard. The prince grinned his toothy grin and nodded to her in greeting.

"It seemed to be a desert. I flew off quickly when I learned some people were after you, again. What did you do now, Lloyd?"

There was the condescending tone Lloyd knew and hated. Kratos took his standard stance too: crossing his arms while leaning back a little.

"N-nothing bad! I'm helping the people out here. Who could be after me?"

"He wore a white mask with an upside-down eye and all in red. He had this strange floating eye contraption to fight for him." Kratos scoffed. "He was no real challenge."

"You beat the leader of the Yiga?" Vera couldn't help herself to ask in shock.

The crimson haired man ignored her however, still looking down at Lloyd. "You are coming back home with me."

It wasn't a question, but more like a statement, an order. The teen narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist in frustration.

"You are always so on one track. It's your way or no way at all. You are stubborn like that and sure, I got that from you. But I don't turn a blind eye to people in need. The people here need my help."

Kratos either decided to ignore his son's comments or not to react to them. "And why specifically your help? Wont anyone else, who is from here, suffice?"

Opening his mouth, but closing it again, Lloyd found himself not really being able to answer that question. So, Vera stepped up.

"He was chosen to." She looked at the teen. "You woke up in that Shrine where the hero was. You wield a Slate only he would be able to handle. I believe the Goddess has picked you, to come and help us out. You already brought down two Divine Beasts."

She gestured to the red beams in the sky, both going toward the center. This didn't explain much for Kratos, however. He just frowned, also at the way this young lady came to Lloyd's defense.

"Thank you, Vera." The teen smiled at her, nodding in thanks. "I might be a replacement while the real hero is lost, but I'll do anything I can to help out."

"Why? You owe these people nothing. This world isn't even connected."

Lloyd sighed and shook his head. When will his father ever learn? "Dwarven vow number two: never abandon someone in need."

"What about your friends, who need you? The Chosen is very worried."

"I'm sorry about that." He looked down at the ground. "It looked like there was no way home..."

"So, you will still stay here, for as long as needed, until this original hero will come back? You will go back home if he were to show up?"

"Uh, I guess so." Lloyd answered weakly. There would be no real reason to stay, but for his curiosity on how things will go.

"What does this hero look like?" It now came to be real business talk.

The teen just sighed in surrender, taking the Slate out of his bag. He held it up, showing the picture of Link and Zelda, the only real image he had.

Kratos observed the blond-haired young man with intend. He almost reminded him of Mithos, long ago, when he was paying attention in his lessons. Quickly, the man shook this thought off.

"Right. You took a little too much here, by the way." Touching the blue Exsphere on his son's hand for a moment, he took some of the mana back.

"Wait, what? I took it from you? How?" Lloyd was completely confused.

His father looked at him with an intense gaze. "You can do more than you think, Lloyd."

The beautiful, blue glowing wings sprouted from Kratos his back, making everyone looking on gasp and step back, except for Lloyd.

"Don't go doing anything reckless. I will be back with this hero and you will come back home." Another statement. The man rose up into the air effortlessly, after which he flew away, even though he had no real clue where to even begin.

He is that set on it, huh? That is pretty surprising, Lloyd thought as he watched his father fly away and disappear into the distance.

"By the Goddess..." Sidon managed to utter finally.

Lloyd turned to Vera and the big fish creature with red skin. He did have some shark like features and his clothing seemed luxurious.

"That... was your father?" The Sheikah asked, her gaze going from the sky to him. Her eyes were very curious, going over him with new interest.

He didn't know exactly why, but Lloyd hated that look. He scratched the back of his neck, looking away. "Yeah." His eyes then rested on the tall, red creature. "I'm sorry, you are?"

"Oh, my apologies! My name is Sidon, prince of the Zora Domain!" A wide grin confirmed his shark like features. Also, he was _very_ tall. Lloyd really had to crane his neck to look at him.

"Prince? Oh!" Clumsy, the teen bowed to him.

"No, that's alright, no worries." Sidon laughed, clearly lighthearted. "Did I hear that right? Are you the one who took down the two Divine Beasts?" He studied Lloyd for a moment. This wasn't the hero he could remember. Then again, it had been a while and this young man did have the Slate.

"Yeah, my name is Lloyd." He offered his hand.

Sidon took it with both his big hands and shook like that, maybe a bit too enthusiastic. "I am happy to meet you. So that's what all that original hero stuff was about, huh? Something happened to Link? I hope he'll be okay. But at least we got a great replacement. I am honored to meet the hero!"

"Don't you dare say you aren't a hero again." Vera was very fast remarking. So, the teen just closed his mouth and nodded.

"It's been a while, Vera. How have you been?"

"Huh, you two know each other?" Lloyd looked from one to the other.

"Yes. In the past I've been on mission to the Domain, a couple of times."

"Jup, and I was a helpful asset." Sidon widely grinned. Well, he did most of the time. But then it faded. "Circumstances are different now, sadly. The road ahead is dangerous."

"We did hear something like that at the stable. There are Lizalfos there?" Vera informed.

"Loads of them. It's a pain really. Nasty things are using electricity against us." Sidon made a 'hmf' face.

"They are exploding your weakness." The Sheikah shook her head at this.

Sidon nodded. "We still can use the river, luckily. With all the rain, we are mostly just busy keeping everything from overflowing. It would be bad if the river did that."

"This constant rain, is it an effect of the Divine Beast?" Lloyd wanted to know.

"Indeed, it is. I would offer you a ride up the river, but it's a very risky and rough ride for humans. I don't think you'll be able to hold on."

Sidon pointed to his back while looking over said river. The water was wild indeed. Lloyd was pretty sure he'd disappear under those rapids in a matter of seconds. He did think of something else however.

From his pack, the teen retrieved the para glider. Man, this thing really had come in handy. He was happy he was gifted this, by the king no less!

"This was capable of holding me when I was wearing heavy armor. I think it can hold two people, at least for a little bit."

"Are you suggesting floating over the Lizalfos' heads?" The Sheikah guessed.

"Exactly! For as much as possible at the very least." He had a proud, wide grin, happy with his own idea.

"Uh, we just saw your old man flying, which I still don't really get... but, can't you do that too?" Sidon looked at the teen curious and confused.

A silence set in. Lloyd looked away, thinking back to the one time he did. That he was able to soar, high up in the sky, grand turquoise wings effortless carrying him up to stop the seed. Back then, he was almost sure that those wings were a gift, a temporary power from the eternal sword. It gave him what was needed at the time.

But Kratos his remark earlier; 'You can do more than you think,' made him now doubt that thought. Was there really more to it than he initially thought?

"Clearly this isn't the case. Or he would have done so. We will try it with the glider." Vera answered the question.

The prince flexed his arm. "Alright! I will go on ahead. See you at the Domain. Men, stay at your post, make sure no people come through until its safe."

"Yes, sire!" The guards saluted to his order.

Sidon then gracefully leaped into the water and went up against the currant as if it was no effort at all.

"Right." Vera let out a breath and turned to the teen. Due to the rain, his hair was now down, sticking to his face instead of standing up straight. Like that, she did she the resemblance between him and his father. Except for his length and his eyes. Mostly those eyes, which were brown and warm instead of distant and almost deep red. "Are you okay?"

She had noticed he was looking off a lot more, seemingly more in his own mind and thoughts. He was doing it right now, probably without even realizing it.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine." His weak smile didn't really sell it. The focus needed to be shifted, to what was going on right this moment. "You want to give this plan a try?"

"Very well." Vera didn't want to push him and just let it go for now. They weren't exactly at the right place to talk anyway. "We should avoid as much creatures as we can to save our strength."

Lloyd just nodded, appreciating the Sheikah dropping the subject. He wished he could force his mind to do the same thing. But he just kept hearing those words. And it was a weird thing to see his fa... Kratos here, of all people. He even wondered if he really was here just for him. He had expected the man to forcefully take him along, but he didn't. Was it he respecting his wishes after all? Ugh, that man was so frustratingly difficult!

"Right," the teen said with a sigh, placing those thoughts in the back of his mind. "Let's see, how can we do this."

Folding out the glider, he looked at Vera. "I can hold on to one of those handholds and you to the other. We have to hold on to each other as well, hopefully it will keep in balance."

"Ah, yes. Of course."

A bit awkward, they did just that. Now that Lloyd had learned that concentrating on the orb's power was enough to activate it, he didn't have to physically touch it.

Well, here it goes. The upward draft danced around them and then lifted them up. It was not without effort. They didn't go as high and they drifted down easier. This wasn't meant for two people, not for a long time.

At the very least, it got them higher. A couple of Lizalfos were spotted on the right-hand side, so Lloyd tried to land them as far away as possible.

"It does its job," said Vera when they were on the ground again.

"Yeah, but I also know this power can't be used as often. I learned that when up the mountain. Its power is limited."

"Hm, well. Better make good use of it."

Lloyd nodded, looking back at the big lizard creatures. "We can always cut those things down if needed."

"I agree."

Again, they went up with the wind, avoiding the monsters for as much as possible. Now that Lloyd was able to concentrate on the orb, he did feel the power of it weakening. Almost like the level of mana in his Exsphere.

"I think we can use this one more time for now."

"Hm." Vera looked around and then up to the higher ridge. "We should go for that."

They nodded to each other and went up high one more time. Both spotted the two Lizalfos right below them. A look was shared and they agreed silently; at the same time, they let go and jumped the creatures.

Lloyd had pulled his ancient swords and made the blades appear right when he plunged them into the monster's head. Vera tackled the other and took care of it just as quickly with her dagger.

The road went on ahead, winding around some more ridges. More of those creatures were certainly waiting for them.

"I think we should try to sneak the rest of the way. The bridge to the Domain isn't that far anymore."

"Hm, alright then." Still not a fan of sneaking, Lloyd knew the Sheikah was right.

It was better to save energy for the real thing, like the Divine Beast. He followed behind Vera, letting her give the right example. Of course, she was really good at it. They slipped by every lizard without trouble, some were even sleeping on the job!

Yet, before said bridge, two Lizalfos were keeping watch. No doubt to stop anyone from getting in, or out.

"Let's teach these two a lesson." Vera said softly to Lloyd. He nodded in agreement.

There was not much to hide behind anymore, so they had no element of surprise. They just went in, charging at the Lizalfos at full speed, armed with their respective weapons.

These two did put up more of a fight, using their own weapons to defend. They were nimble, jumping from side to side. Sparks of electricity came from their horns. When Lloyd got too close, a shock drove him back. Such a nasty trick!

Vera jumped in front of him, kicking the Lizalfos back. The other came in however, raising its curved blade. Something jumped up from the water. A flash of red. The Lizalfos was knocked against the ground, a big, clawed hand pushing it down. With his free hand, Sidon drew his sword and ran it through.

Recovering quickly, Lloyd came to the Sheikah's side, who blinked surprised at the princes' save. She then combined a forward strike with Lloyd, to take down the remaining Lizalfos.

"Sidon! You shouldn't get yourself into danger like that." Vera scorned the Zora prince.

He stood up straight and just smiled his wide smile. "I can't help it. I shouldn't allow a lady to get hurt on my turf."

Lloyd frowned, looking between the two. Her annoyance with him, his actions and mesmerism's. It really reminded him of the weird dynamic between Zelos and Sheena. It was almost creepy. Or was he really that home sick?

The Sheikah shook her head. "Fool. But fine, I suppose I should thank you."

"No problem. Come on, allow me to show you around the Domain. It's your first time here, right?" Sidon looked down to Lloyd.

"Yeah, that's true."

The first view of the place was impressive enough, with most of the structures being blue or see-through. And at the back of it, giant waterfalls casting downwards in a half circle. It really had something enchanting. Everything was glistening as if it was made out of glass or crystal.

The Zora there, were all blue or a grayish color. It looked like their prince was the only one who had red scales. Was it because he was royalty?

A Shrine was there, inside the structure. Lloyd activated it; it will no doubt be useful. The Zora seemed to be nice people, be it a bit down. This was understandable, with all the rain they had to deal with. Even for them there was such a thing as too much water.

"Oh, I would like to introduce you to my father. He'd love to know you're here. Maybe he knows more about the Divine Beast and give you some info."

"Your dad, the king?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't be a prince otherwise," chuckled Sidon at the teen's question. "Come on."

He walked ahead of them, up a large set of stairs. This led them to the next level, on a raised platform.

"Don't be too intimidated." Vera said softly to the teen.

"Huh, because he's a king? Nah, I've met a king before." Several times, even. Here, and back in Thete'alla.

"You'll see." Was all the Sheikah said.

They approached a large statue, Sidon stopped in front of it and looked up. It looked like a young Zora girl, graceful and equally adorned in luxury clothing and jewellery.

"That's Mipha, Sidon's older sister. She was the Zora Champion." Vera informed Lloyd in a whisper.

Nothing more needed to be said. By now, it was clear what happened to all the Champions. It was a shame that all Lloyd could do was free their trapped soul. Sure, it was something, but still... they were lost lives. He was the type to save everyone, even if it was way before his time. It was the whole deal with Exspheres all over again.

"Sire, why are you bringing people here?" An old, cracking voice asked. It belonged to a Zora with a flat head. His posture next to his voice indicated he was old. Squinting, the geezer looked from the two visitors up to Sidon.

"Well, grand vizier. This here is the guy who already freed two Beasts. So, I figure he should meet my father."

"Eh, this one?" The gaze of the old man focused back on Lloyd. It was very judgemental, like he was looking down on him.

"Yes, now if you excuse us." Sidon didn't back down, his politeness and smile never fading, ushering Vera and Lloyd to come along.

It was nice the prince defended him in a way, Lloyd really appreciated that. When they stepped into the throne room, Lloyd couldn't help but to gasp. The figure in the throne was truly enormous. The room was made to fit his stature, but you could still tell he was a real giant and even rotund. _This_ was Sidon's father? Lloyd could hardly believe it.

Sidon bowed lightly, while Vera knelled down and Lloyd quickly followed her example.

"Father, I brought along the hero. He is here to save us from the Beast's oppression."

"Hm, is that so?" Even the king's voice was imposing, fitting of his stature. He leaned forward a little. "Could you come closer, please?"

Lloyd rose to his feet and did what he was asked. The king squinted and looked him over with beady eyes. Or rather, looked down on him.

"You are not Link. Why are you posing as him?"

"He is not, my lord. This is Lloyd. You see, Link has disappeared and we do not know what happened to him." Vera took it upon herself to explain.

"Hah, of course that fool was lost. I wouldn't expect anything else." The vizier chimed in. "He is the cause of all of this. Thanks to him, princess Mipha perished, thanks to him..."

"Silence!" Sidon unexpectedly lashed out. "Do not use my sister's name in vain! She cared for him deeply. As she did for all her people. That is why she agreed to become the Champion. She wanted to protect her people, to save us from disaster. That was her own decision. That it would go wrong, no one could have expected it to happen like it did. No one is at fault."

A silence set in, while the king set back and nodded. "Very true, my son. It is sad to hear what happened to the young man. The young lad was a very welcome guest here." He sighed heavily "If there is a way, to find him, and release us all from Ganon's clutches..."

"I might not be the hero you expected. But I will do what I can, to get those Beasts of yours back. We will find Link and bring down Ganon!"

Lloyd rose his fist to empower his words. Everyone in the room stared at him. Was it in bewilderment, admiration? It wasn't really clear. The king let out a deep laugh.

"I like that spirit! Allow me to tell you about our Beast then, so you will be properly prepared."

Two problems became very clear about taking down the Beast named Vah Ruta. One: it was up past the waterfalls, in the middle of a large lake. It wouldn't be easy to get there and the second you got close, it would start launching big ice cubes at you. Two: it had four generators that needed to be taken down first or it couldn't even be reached. In that regard it did feel very much like the one in Rito Village (or above).

The question became how to approach this all; what the most effective way would be to tackle the obstacles. Sidon was thinking about it as well, stroking his chin.

"The generators react badly to electricity. We aren't really good at handling that. So, we ourselves have nothing for that. However, there is a place where you can find shock arrows."

"Uh, shock arrows?" Lloyd asked with a frown.

"There are some arrows with elemental adaption," was Vera's short explanation. She turned her gaze to the prince. "Are you talking about the high cliff with the Lyonel?"

Both of them looked up to mentioned cliff, at the very top of two sets of waterfalls. Vera shook her head.

"It's dangerous to go there. That Lyonel is brutal."

"Yeah, that's why that place it littered with shock arrows. Challengers have tried to take it down, with no real success."

Lloyd also shook his head. This sounded too risky. "There has to be another way."

"Hm, maybe. You will need assistance anyway. You won't be able to swim fast enough around the Beast."

"Are you offering?" Lloyd frowned while looking up at Sidon.

The prince flashed him his wide, toothy grin. "I am! But you'll need a suit, to protect you from the harsh, cold water. Do we have something for him?"

Sidon looked at the grumpy vizier, who was still there for some reason.

"Sire, we have nothing like that. Only what your sister had made for the 'hero'," he scoffed.

"Oh yeah. Hey, maybe that will fit you. Come on, let's give it a try."

The prince already went ahead, not even bothering with the grump. Not worth the effort for sure.

"If I understand correctly, I once again, can't join you taking down the Beast?" Vera asked, looking to Lloyd while they followed.

"It's looking like that. Sorry." He gave her an apologetic smile.

"You can't help it. And hopefully, I can find something that relates to Link in the meantime."

"I can even send along some Zora, to help you out?" Was Sidon his offer.

"Thank you, that would be useful." The Sheikah said with a nod.

They came to the private chamber of the prince himself. He walked over to a closet, pulling open a drawer and searching through it. While he was doing that, Lloyd took a look around. The room was typically royal and grand, most of it in a soft blue. Again, this reminded him a lot of his buddy Zelos.

"Aha, here it is." Sidon exclaimed, pulling out a dark blue material.

It was a streamlined suit, complete with flippers to swim with. In thought for a moment, Sidon ran a finger over the fabric.

"She made this especially for him."

"Sidon..." Vera started.

The prince just shook his head, offering the clothing to Lloyd. "Give it a try."

"Uh, okay."

Lloyd just went behind the room divider that was there. He tried on the suit. It was a bit tight, though it was kind of made to do that. It seemed Lloyd was just a bit bigger than this Link guy. He wondered more and more who this guy exactly was.

How old was he, what was he like? He only heard some things from others. Some were praising him, while others clearly loathed him. Who he really was as a person? His ideals, dreams and goals, were still unclear.

Anyway, he was at least able to move in this suit and that was what counted.

"Ah good! A bit tight, but still good." Sidon held up his thumb when Lloyd stepped out from the divider.

Vera maybe took a bit too long of look, before she turned away. "Should we get some lunch?"

"Late lunch it is. Let's go."

Still widely smiling, Sidon went ahead again, the two of them just following. Lloyd tried to ignore the fact the Sheikah was flustered, distracting himself by looking around at the surroundings. The inn was small and had an even more interesting choice in food; it was all fish. The teen frowned at this. Wasn't this considered cannibalism? But he quickly shook his head to forget that dark thought.

They ate lunch in peace, mostly listening to Sidon talking about the latest happenings in and around the Domain. There wasn't much good news, sadly. Hopefully, with tackling Vah Ruta, things will be better.

The prince had even worked fast and arranged some Zora to accompany Vera with her investigation. She looked at the three lined up, then looking at Sidon.

"Are you sure about this? You still need to figure things out with the Beast."

"Ah, we will be fine. Go on ahead." Sidon waved away her worries.

"Very well. Be careful, the both of you. And good luck." She nodded to the both of them.

"You too!" Both men waved while she walked away with the Zora.

"She sure is in a hurry all of the sudden." Sidon said with an amused grin.

"Uh yeah. I guess. So, what are we going to do?"

"I think we should..."

A rolling thunder interrupted, the lightning crashing in loudly overhead right after. The rain only grew more intense. A soft curse came from Sidon's mouth.

"Just our luck."

"A thunderstorm?" It was quite intense, but Lloyd didn't get it. He saw Zora running, going for cover. Then it clicked. "Ooh... The lightning."

"Yeah. It's dangerous, even for you. We have no choice but to wait it out. I can go through some books in the meantime. I suggest you just take it easy, save up some energy."

"Uh yeah, okay..."

Two things Lloyd wasn't good at: having to patiently wait and take it easy. As Sidon went off, the teen figured he'd stay close, strolling around on the structure. The lightning show wasn't showing any relent yet. He always found the forces and show of nature like this to be impressive, not as much scary.

Lloyd remembered looking on to storms when younger, Genis and Colette with him. Colette would be a bit more afraid, more startled by the sounds than anything else. And he always promised her she was safe, right there with them.

A sad smile came across his face with that memory. Yup, it was official; he was home sick. Well, maybe more that he was really missing his friends. Sure, he found a friend in Vera, but he was so used to having all his friends around. It felt weird not to.

Small, Zora kids were taking shelter under the large, overhead plateau. Their faces looked genuinely scared, pressing up against their parent. Poor kids. They didn't know any better. Lloyd thought back to the little Goron kid, and to Teba's little chick. Those innocent little faces, those were the ones that really stuck.

He needed to get his mind of things, and he only knew one way to do that. Letting the two ancient swords light up, he started swinging them, going in his usual practice. But this time the swings were more deliberate, with a bit more of an edge.

Only now, did Lloyd feel the frustration he'd build up. And most of it was because of Kratos. Once again, he showed up out of nowhere. Once again, he had to teach him a lesson, and once again he was as vague as ever. Ugh, honestly that guy! How in the world was he his dad?

With a sigh, Lloyd plumped down at the edge, just under the cover. He looked up, rain cascading down almost as hard as the waterfalls in the background. Big forks of light and electricity lit everything up.

His eyes followed the waterfalls up, letting them settle on the cliff which held the Lyonel. 'You can do more than you think.' What did he mean? Closing his eyes, Lloyd tried to make sense of it. It made him think about wings again. Surely, that was just the sword's doing, right?

Still, just imagine. Being able to just fly up there. He could picture it; _the grand, turquoise wings folding out and going up with no effort at all. The top of the cliff coming in to view quickly after. On it, trees and rocks, arrows scattered around. They had a unique, yellow tip design. In the middle, was the grand creature; a lion's head, with the body of a horse. It stomped and breathed heavily, truly intimidating. Still, the arrows were there for the taking. At first, the creature didn't even seem to notice. But then, it let out a roar, deep and deafening, going in for the charge. In an almost lazy arch, this was dodged. A total of ten arrows, successfully taken. Surely, this would be enough. Making a grand flip, up and back, it resulted in disappearing over the edge of the cliff._

What a wild imagination, almost like a crazy dream. Opening his eyes, Lloyd still sat at the same place, at the edge of the structure. It almost felt real. Wanting to clench his hand, he felt something. Looking down, there were arrows in his hand. Exactly ten of them, with the bright yellow tips.

No. It can't be. That was just a... A roar made him look up, to the cliff. A large silhouette stood there, roaring once again as if angered.

No. Nononononono. Falling sideways, Lloyd blacked out.


End file.
